THE LUGIA CHRONICLES
by ArkNorth
Summary: The end of everything is nigh ¤ The Worlds of the Pokemon are dying ¤ An evil of unimaginable power is coming ¤ Can the spirits of Team Rocket stop it? Beware the Black Lugia! ¤¤ Edited and refreshed June 2007 ¤¤ See the new AFTER CHRONICLES ¤ The RPGS! ¤
1. End of the Road

This is a special series to me. TLC (not to be mistaken for the series with the same title that ran over on FFN at roughly the same time) was an epic story that had continued on and on and on. Currently, it includes the original 18 stories/chapters, a second series by fellow time/space/Pokémon freak TiredGamer called "Fate's Game" that ran 11 chapters, a massive RPG that ran over 700 STORY-BASED POSTS with 8 to 10 authors, and the current series, AFTER CHRONICLES – YEAR OF THE CAT...

What is posted here is the first series, starting with Anni Ruecroft's "End of the Road." Anni (AKA Blue Jackal) wrote two of the first stories in the series in November/December of 1999 and posted them on the now defunct Team Rocket Headquarters/NEXT BBS site. Being good friends with Miss Anni (she of the British Isles, and me being a yo-yo from the Philly area of the US of A) dropped these stories on me and said 'WHAT 'CHU THINK?'

_Hey – you knocked off Jesse, James and Pikachu… damn! Heavy! This was ROCKETSHIPPY at its best!_

But that was when I thought, 'hey – death can't be the end for these three. Especially since they survived being Blasted Off so many times in the past. Plus, that summer, Revelations Lugia was due out at theaters. This is a good time to flex the old writer's muscles and start a fanfic. My parts of the story were added between January 2000 and July 2000 – and the rest is PokéHistory.

Anni did give me permission to add her parts to this compilation here. And yes, I know that you can spell Jesse's name either with an 'i' in it or not – it winds up being used in the stories, so, yea… I know. These stories are based on the 1st and 2nd year of Pokémon and the second movie. So sit back and enjoy some trans-dimensional weirdness as we soon discover that there are more Pokémon out there than meets the eye!

**_R. A. Stott – ArkNorth Productions/DMS_**

**_0303.16 – 0706.20_**

**_Anni's Disclaimer:_**  
Pokémon is not mine and neither are the characters. I advise all of you to go get a big box of tissues for this one! This is a Rocketshippy fic which means Jesse and James are/should be an item

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter One**

**End of the Road**

**By Anni Ruecroft**

**Edited by R. A. Stott**

"You're listening to the top ten albums chart here on Pallet Rock One o-five," the radio presenter announced in a jazzy voice.

"Turn it off James!" Jesse moaned from the drivers seat of the black Jeep Cherokee they had been given for this mission.

James complied and pressed the off button on the stereo. "Let's stop soon Jesse," James suggested from the passenger seat as he placed a gloved hand on Jesse's shoulder.

"That's not such a bad idea James," Jesse smiled at him. "And we can place the hotel bill on our expenses for this month."

Meowth sat in the back and closed his eyes with a grin. He wanted to giggle at the recent romance that had been sweetly blossoming between Jesse and James but he thought better of it.

James sat contentedly in the front of the Jeep next to Jesse with his hand now on her thigh. The two of them were very happy these days. Jesse still had her trademark attitude but James had seemingly found a way to charm his way into her heart. It had been a long time coming but the two of them were finally together.

Meowth stared at the ring on Jesse's finger.

James had given the ring to Jesse on her birthday the previous month. The feline Pokémon didn't even want to begin to guess how much the ring had cost.

Maybe James is workin' his way up to an engagement ring, Meowth thought to himself. He'll pop the question any day now.

The feline smiled. Jesse and James truly loved each other and Meowth knew they were perfect for each other.

For once things were going just fine...

With a terrifying screech of tires and a small bang the Jeep braked hard and skidded viciously...

The small yellow creature hit the ground and skidded to a violent halt on it's side.

"Pikachu!" a young boy cried out as he ran into the road after his Pokémon.

Misty and Brock followed and knelt behind Ash with numb expressions. Pikachu had been playing in the bushes when a bird had spooked it and caused it to run into the road.

"Pi..."

Ash placed a hand on Pikachu's side, not wanting to move it.

The impact had been hard and the small rodent's face was stained with it's own blood.

"Pi...ka...," it murmured faintly.

Brock placed a hand on Ash's shoulder to comfort him and Misty wiped her eyes.

"Hang in there Pikachu!" Ash pleaded as his shaking hand still stroked Pikachu's side.

"Ash, there's nothing we can do," Brock whispered almost silently into Ash's ear.

Ash's lip quivered as the inevitable unfolded.

Blood continued to run from Pikachu's mouth caused by the tremendous impact of the vehicle.

The creatures eyes locked onto its beloved trainers eyes as Pikachu made one last gasp for breath and fell silent.

A faint whimper became a heartbroken wail as Ash knelt over his now silent Pikachu.

"Priii!"

It was all too much for Togepi, the tiny egg Pokémon, who hid behind Misty making tiny sobbing sounds as it clung to her ankle.

It was over...

"James? Jesse?" Meowth cried frantically.

In the chaos the Jeep had gone out of control, screeched off the road and into a tree at speed.

James lifted his head slightly and released his seat belt.

His body trembled with the adrenaline surge and he was shaking all over. He felt small sensations all over his body. Only when he looked down did he realize that the impact had shattered the windscreen and sent jagged pieces of broken glass into the Jeep. Small stains of blood stained his white Team Rocket uniform and he felt cuts on his face too.

He turned to check on Jesse and gasped.

She laid leaning forward with her head against the steering wheel. James could see a vast amount of blood running down her face.

Meowth looked completely stunned. He didn't seem too badly hurt as he had been sitting in the back of the Jeep and had been sheltered from the glass.

James rushed out of the Jeep and round to Jesse's side.

He flung open the door and pressed the release button on her seat belt. James heard an extremely faint moan and a gasp for breath.

"Jesse!" he cried. "I'm here for you, you'll be okay!" He gently took hold of Jesse and lifted her from the car.

As he laid her down on the grass he saw a nightmare.

Two large terrible looking pieces of glass were imbedded in her, one stabbed into her chest, the other had gashed horribly into her stomach. Blood trickled freely from her nose, a sign of a head injury.

James looked into Jesse's eyes.

She was conscious but barely.

Meowth looked pleadingly at James from behind the Jeep.

James new what Meowth was asking. His eyes filled with tears of sorrow and he shook his head a little in response.

Meowth looked devastated and slowly walked up to where Jesse lay bleeding.

James took hold of Jesse's hand with both of his as she looked sorrowfully up at him.

Jesse tried to speak but she could only cough from the bleeding inside of her.

James put a finger gently on her lips, "Sshh," he whispered, it would all be over soon.

Jesse's breathing grew more difficult and she fought hard for every single breath of air until the blood building up in her lungs would allow no more.

Jesse shivered all over as she fought for the final breath she so desperately wanted. Jesse and James both knew that this was their final moment together. James lowered his face to hers and the two shared their final kiss. Moments that felt like forever passed as the once energy filled life drifted from Jesse.

James slowly pulled away from Jesse and gently brushed a hand over her face to close her eyes.

Meowth was numb and unable to move.

After a few seconds of silence a heartbroken scream escaped James as he cried out his loves name to the sky above him.

Tears of unimaginable pain rained from James's eyes and onto the bloodied and now still form of Jesse.

James gently kissed her hand that he still held tightly and lay it back down beside her as he gently placed a rose on her chest.

It was all over...

A long road under a now gray and mournful sky.

Two forms stood in the center of the highway facing each other.

One held the limp form of his most beloved Pokémon, his best friend. The other carried the still body of his soul mate, his true love, his world.

Both passed each other silently and slowly along the white lines of the road heading in opposite directions.

Their souls were now missing a vital part that nothing in this world could ever replace.

Their tears would flow for many years but the sorrow and heartache would never leave them.

Jesse and Pikachu were now at peace, James and Ash were in a purgatory of pain. Maybe in some strange way Jesse and Pikachu had been the lucky ones.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©1999, 2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/Game Freak  
©1999, 2000, 03, 05 Anni Ruecroft/R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0501.30 - 0706.20


	2. Field 24

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Two **

**Field 24**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on the FanFic "End of the Road" by Anni Ruecroft- Blue-Jackal_**

He stood on the edge of the raised bed, his left leg kneeling on the thin stone wall that made up the border, a shovel in his hand. Behind him, an institutional sign said "Field 24."

Field 24 - A sad field - And one he wished he had never needed.

But, even he knew that would have been wishful thinking.

He put his left hand down atop the marble headstone he was standing next to. He glanced down and quickly read the inscription he had read so many times before.

"OAK" in tall letters crossed its header, spaced by a PokéBall. A stylized etching of a Pidgeot graced the next section. And centered below this was the inscription "MY AERO."

"Aero, old friend, take care of your new neighbor." the Professor said to the cold stone. "He was very special."

Misty had come through the science center to the rear exit. This emptied into the vast fields beyond Professor Oak's Pokémon Research Center. She was always surprised at just how large an area this center of Poke-Knowledge encompassed.

She was still wearing the dress she had worn to the services from earlier in the day - dressing 'down' - as she normally would have during that hot summer's day - seemed the wrong thing to do. She probably would have heard an earful from her sisters if she had anyway.

The normally lush lawn was sorely in need of some water. It had taken a beating earlier, and was quite well trampled down. So many feet - so many people - all for a simple Pokémon.

A simple, well loved Pokémon - A surprisingly well known Pokémon.

All of Pallet had come to the services. Many more journeyed from great distances. 20 gym leaders were present. 20!

All for a simple Pikachu.

"When I presented Ash Ketchum with Pikachu all those years ago, I told him that there was something 'odd' about this Pokémon," Oak had started the services earlier with. "I had never seen a more stubborn, insubordinate, arrogant Pokémon ever... Of course, this was before I met Ash's Charizard..."

That had brought a slight chuckle from the crowd. Towards the back of the mourners were a number of Pokémon, standing vigil at the base of the hill that made up Field 24. Oak noticed Ash's Charizard standing towards the back - AFTER he had blurted out his last comment!

But Charizard looked embarrassed - Sad, mournful, and embarrassed. Misty had been taking care of some of the younger Pokémon in the group. She noticed the large dragon Pokémon's reaction and came over to it, and stroked its neck. Charizard buried its head into Misty's surprised arms, and it proceeded to whimper and moan. It looked as if it could have, it would have been crying its heart out.

Oak stood for a moment, watching this from the hill. The crowd also seemed affected by the sight of such a large beast in such distress. Many in the crowd began to cry as well. Those with Pokémon with them suddenly found themselves soothing their own upset problems.

"Its quiet obvious just how much this particular Pokémon meant to us. Ash once described Pikachu to me as the best advisor and friend he could have ever have had. Pikachu seemed to be always talking with or advising his fellow Pokémon. Ash's mother once told me that Pikachu was Ash's General - A born leader. I wouldn't doubt that. From scan-data I received from Ash's PokéDex, Pikachu Ketchum was just as formidable behind the trainer's line as he was out on the battle field.

"I will not bore you with tales of the Pikachu... I'm sure we all have our own memories of him, and in the days to come, I am sure we will have time to discuss these adventures. We all remember his performances at the Pokémon League Games - which probably explains why we have the national news services here today. And we probably all remember where we were when we heard the dreadful news the other day..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Professor! Professor! We have a problem in PokéBall Storage 4!"

A problem in a PokéBall Storage Bay wasn't uncommon to Oak. But in Bay 4 it was. Bay 4 was the kennels for younger - healthy Pokémon of rodent backgrounds. Oak punched up the room's monitor.

Two PokéBalls seemed to have come alive. They were bouncing around the room in violent jerky movements, as if the Pokémon were slamming themselves against the inside of their balls.

Bay 4 was in rest mode - Oak knew this. It meant that the Pokémon inside the balls were locked in for their protection. No harm could come of them, and anyone who was foolish enough to try to steal them would find the ball impossible to open, and a locator beacon bringing all the Jennies within five miles running.

Officer Jenny!

The balls had activated their homing signals. Oak phoned the local police station immediately, but found the Jenny there had been dispatched to an auto accident up in the hills nearby. She wouldn't be back to check out the signals, so he did not have to worry about being besieged by officials. Oak headed for the Storage Bay.

He didn't know what it was that made him look. He had exited his main office to cross the back rec-yard to the Kennel Bays, when Oak looked over towards the north of town. He saw a plume of smoke. He could see small dots of people moving about the roadway up on the hill near a curve in the road. That damn highway! It's sure seen its fill of accidents! 'Looks like it got another one! He continued to head for the Bay.

As he entered the kennel, he felt uneasy. Something about that accident felt - felt - something just wasn't right... and somehow he felt that it had something to do with the PokéBalls...

"Professor," the assistant said with a thankful sigh. "The first one started bouncing a few minutes ago. The second joined it a few minutes later. All the rest still seem to be resting..."

"Did you find out which balls are jumping?" Oak asked as he pondered over some sheets on a clipboard.

"I'm sorry sir," the assistant said, "I'm new here - still a rookie - I don't have handprint clearance yet."

Oak nodded remembering this fact. He slammed his hand onto the print reader and barked out, "This is Oak!"

"Oak - Professor - Confirmed..." a computer monotoned.

"Identify the PokéBalls that are loose in Bay 4."

"PokéBalls in Bay 4 - released from holding clamps - Ball 4-4 released at 14:40 hours - Ball 4-1 released at 14:41 hours..."

"Professor!" the assistant said, looking worried at his mentor, who had turned quite pale.

Oak slowly looked back over his shoulder, out the still opened door at the smoke on the hill.

"Computer, release safeties on Balls 4-1 and 4-4," he ordered while staring out the door. "Open safety door. Release Pokémon from balls 4-1 and 4-4..."

"Affirmative... Released... Opened... Released..." the computer replied. There were a series of clicks from the balls.

Oak opened the door to the chamber just as the two balls released their Pokémon. The young assistant stood over him, watching in awe as the two Pokémon formed in front of the Professor - a pair of large adult Pikachu.

"Pink Lady," Oak said - his voice cracking as he saw two soft pink eyes look at him. They were large, dewy eyes. She knew something was wrong.

Oak looked over at the larger Pikachu. "Rex..." Oak said, nodding to it.

Rex came over to Pink Lady, who was trembling in fear and anguish. Rex touched her and she shivered like a shock had gone through her. He stroked her head just behind her left ear, cooing calmly to her, soothing her best he could. But as he looked up at his master, a feeling of dread ran through him as well.

The assistant stood gawking. "Professor... Are these..."

"...A mated pair of Pikachu, yes," Oak finished. "The only ones in captivity."

The assistant was impressed. "I thought captive Pikachu didn't mate..."

Oak nodded. "Normally, they don't. These two were the first."

The phone rang, and everyone nearly jumped out of their socks. The assistant picked up a cordless phone and answered.

"Hello? Hello? Please... Ma'am... Please! Please ma'am, calm down! Yes... Yes... Yes, this is the Oak Pokémon Science Cen... Officer Jenny? Yes? Yes ma'am, he's right here..."

The assistant looked down at Professor Oak with a perplexed look on his face. "Sir, its Officer Jenny... she seems almost hysterical... she's crying sir..."

Oak stared at the assistant's hand bearing the phone. With his own shaking hand he took the phone, his eyes now glued on the assistant with a look of total dread.

"This is Oak," he said in a muted voice. "Yes... yes... I see... When... Okay... What about Ash..."

Pink Lady heard the name Ash. She jerked back slightly into Rex's arms, burning holes into the phone in Oak's hand with her glare. Rex painfully looked over at Oak as well, and then glanced at the assistant. The assistant felt a wave of panic and fear come over him. He had never seen a Pokémon with a look he just saw Rex give him. It reminded him of...

...a funeral...

"I understand... Yes... Jenny, please... Jenny! Please, I have his parents in front of me right now!"

On the hill, Brock suddenly found himself being pushed back. He had been supporting the grief stricken Jenny as she had made the call on her cell phone. Misty managed to stop him from falling completely over.

"WHAT?" shouted Jenny.

"What? What?" Misty asked, looking between the hysterical officer and her fellow Gym Leader. "Brock? What's going on?"

Brock was in shock. "My god! I never thought he was THAT Pikachu!"

"Yes, Officer... Have Ash bring him here... Yes... I'll call Mrs. Ketchum... You're welcome, Officer. I'm sorry too... Yes... Yes... Yes... Oh, Officer... not that it matters right now, but see if you can have Ash bring his PokéDex with him... Yes... Goodbye..."

Oak pushed the off button on the phone. He looked up at the assistant with a glare in his eyes and handed him the phone. He sighed then looked down at Pink Lady and Rex.

"I'm sorry…" was all he got out. He suddenly had an armful of a howling Pink Lady. She gave a baleful cry that was soon joined by Oak and his assistant.

Like a tumbling domino, Pokémon outside the Kennel Unit that were within earshot of the cry joined in. Fields surrounding the Center began to moan and wail.

High up on the hill, Misty, Brock, Jenny and Ash, who was still holding his limp Pokémon, could hear the sounds. That was it. Ash joined in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So we are gathered here today to remember this unique Pokémon. His devotion, his service, his loyalty, his friendship... I will never forget them, nor will I forget him. Pikachu, farewell... As you join with your brother somewhere romping in the heavens... You have joined the Stratus League, where all honored Pokémon go. I hope someday to see you again."

A roar came from the bottom of the hill as Ash folded the paper he had just read from. Charizard had reared back and had fired off a massive flaming salute into the air. Squirtle and Vulpix followed suit, firing their own style of volleys..

Overhead, a flight of Pidgeotto flew over, lead by a larger Pidgeot familiar to Ash. To the right of the leader, a single Pidgeotto peeled off, heading skyward and into the sun.

Ash felt a tugging at his pants leg. He looked down and saw a Pikachu - large and old, with a slightly tattered tail, and deep - deep blue eyes. It was holding a single flower which it handed to Ash.

"Pooka?"

"Pika..." it answered. It then went over to the casket and stood for a moment. From the tip of its tail, Pooka began to shimmer in its blue glow, as if it were sensing a great wave. But it became brighter than the last time Ash had seen it do this.

Pooka looked skyward. "PIIIIIIIIKAAAAAAACHUUUUUUU!" it yelled, letting loose a massive burst of lightning that fired out of sight.

"RAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIICHUUUUUUUUU!" came from below. Lt. Surge's Raichu joined in with it's own charge.

"PIIIIIKAAAAAACHUUUUUUUUUU!" Sparky had let loose, with highlights added by Zippo the Charmander. Pokémon after Pokémon launched off with their own salutes to their departed friend, the crescendo coming when the big three - a Blastoise, a Venusaur and Ash's Charizard joined together in a finale of flame, water and energy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Late in the afternoon, Misty came up the path to the top of the hill where the grave lay. Oak was seated on the stone wall that edged the beds of the cemetery. He glanced back at her for a moment and smiled.

"Are you all right?" she asked the Professor. "Your assistants are worried about you. They said you insisted on doing Pikachu's grave yourself."

Oak gave a slight laugh. "Oh, they're just worry-warts... I'm fine. It's just something I felt had to do."

Misty smiled and nodded. "Professor... That was a nice speech you wrote for Ash..."

He looked up at her. "Oh, I wrote it, ea?"

She looked puzzled at him. "Huh?"

Oak returned to staring at the base of the far wall that edged the path. "Ash wrote that speech. You shouldn't put that boy down so quickly, Misty. He wrote that entire passage himself."

Misty stood back. "Really? I'm surprised!"

"Umm... I only checked it for correctness." Oak added, leaning on the shovel he held in his hands.

"Wow," she said, a bit impressed. "Professor, what did he mean by 'join with your brother?'"

Oak stood up and looked at the grave. "Well Misty... that headstone is wrong to a degree. It should read 'Ketchum and Brother'... Pikachu had a still-borne twin brother. I've interred him here with him."

Misty looked at the grave. "Brock was sure surprised when he learned of Pikachu's origins."

Oak frowned. "Yes, we had a bit of an argument about that... seems Brock didn't think that I should have put Pikachu into my yearly batch of Pokémon I give to the children of Pallet. But I knew that Pikachu needed to see the world. A confined Pokémon can become nasty - almost violent..."

"But surely, his parents are confined..."

Oak shook his head. "Pink Lady and Rex are free to leave any time they wish."

Misty looks at him with surprise. "Really?"

"Oh yes... they've just become accustomed to staying here in my refuge. It's just one of the ways that helped out in getting them to mate."

Misty looked down the hill towards the kennels. "How are they doing?"

Oak sighed. "Rex is taking it - err - like a man... Pink Lady though is off her food. There's little I can do for her." He sighed and dropped an elbow onto the headstone in front of himself.

Misty looked at it. "My Aero?"

Oak looked down at the marker. "Yes, Aero... One of my first Pokémon. He and I traveled the world together in my youth, much like Ash and Pikachu did. We were quite a pair back then... He was the Pokémon I used to win the Pokémon League Championship."

"Really? Wow!"

Oak smiled, turned and started down the path. "You know, the interesting thing is, Aero died fighting a Pikachu... Now he has two buried beside him."

Misty looked back at the grave. "You think he's spinning in there?"

Oak chuckled. "Oh, I think he's having a good little romp! Let's go in and have some dinner!"

"Good idea!"

They left Field 24 behind. It was quiet.

Two Pikachu made their way up the now deserted hill. They came to the foot of the grave. There they stayed for the rest of that day and most of the next, holding and comforting each other.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak

©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0501.30 – 0706.20


	3. Return Journey

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or any of the characters.  
This is a Rocketshippy fic which means Jesse and James are/should be an item

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Three **

**Return Journey **

**By Anni Ruecroft**

**Edited by R. A. Stott**

The black boots slowly marched along the road as rain clouds slowly began to move in to darken the sunlight.

A shadow preceded the figure as he made his way towards his destination. These days a shadow seemed to precede him wherever he went.

His world had been destroyed but this one day was his chance to pay tribute to the love that had long departed. His beloved Jesse.

James walked along this cursed road with his head bowed.

In his gloved hands he held two perfect red roses bound together by two ribbons, one pink, the other purple.

As he looked at the roses he felt his eyes warm with tears.

The tears began to slowly run down his face in steady lines as if they mirrored his own slow walking pace.

He slowly halted as he realized that he was in the right place.

This was it. The first time he had returned here since Jesse had been killed in the accident a year ago...

…Exactly one year ago today.

James rubbed his eyes with one hand as it all came flooding back. The happy flirting in the Jeep - the screeching of the brakes - the impact... and Jesse. One minute she had been sitting happily next to him, the next she was on the ground bloodied, cut and suffocating from the blood building up in her lungs.

That terrible memory of Jesse had haunted James every night since the accident.

He simply couldn't let go.

A tear fell onto the roses he held as James took his first glance down the embankment that ran off down the side of the road.

James swallowed hard. A sense of fear began to rise within him as he stared down at the tree before him.

The trunk was still battered and scarred, only just starting to recover from where the Jeep had hit it head on.

Slowly James walked down to the tree and stood silently in front of it for several seconds as he paused to remember Jesse in happier times. His silent thoughts were disturbed when his watch beeped.

11:25 AM - A year ago to the minute.

James knelt down on one knee and placed the roses at the foot of the tree.

As he looked at the roses bound together he began to sob uncontrollably. The pink and purple ribbons binding the two roses symbolized Jesse and James' love for one another. Small drops of rain began to fall as the purple haired Rocket completely broke down.

James had cried himself to sleep for months after Jesse died. People had told him that he would get over it in time but he hadn't just lost Jesse, he had lost everything.

All of James's hopes for the future had died that day with Jesse. He had been planning to propose to Jesse but had kept putting it off because he was waiting for the right moment. James still had the engagement ring he had bought for Jesse. He had kept it hidden with his comics so she wouldn't find it.

The sobbing continued as he thought of how Jesse would have loved the ring. Pure gold with a red diamond in the middle. James had only been able to afford it by selling some of his more rarer comics which had become extremely valuable to collectors.

As the rain began to soak into his purple hair James continued his thoughts.

His other dream had been that maybe, just maybe, he and Jesse might have had children one day.

"You would have made a wonderful...," James let his head drop into his hands as cried out loud like a small child, "I want you back Jesse!." His body trembled from the flurry of emotion as James tried to pull himself together. He knew Jesse would want him to be strong but the fact simply was that she was his strength.

James stood slowly, sniffed back his tears as best he could and took a small black handle from his pocket. With a slight pressure from James's fingers a small blade flicked out from it.

In time, the roses he had left would wilt but this would remain so that anyone could see it. James began to work on the tree trunk with the blade until he had carved an inscription into the bark...

"Jesse Musashi...

...always in my heart,

James"

"I love you," James whispered as he gently touched Jesse's name. Slowly James turned and began to walk back up to the road.

One year down but he'd be back next year and the next year forever. He would never forget.

Sorrowfully James turned his head for one last look at that dreaded place. A small glint took his notice. Someone else had left something too.

A small gold charm sat glistening a little further around the tree trunk. James sighed and nodded slightly to himself. He knew it had been Meowth. The feline had been devastated by Jesse's death but had rarely let anyone see how much it had affected him.

Again James began to make his way back to headquarters.

Another Rocket was waiting for him in the next town to drive him back, but back to what?

Back to an empty life?

Back to a place where people always pretended to be nice so that they didn't upset him?

Back to nothing.

James rubbed his tears away as he slowly walked.

He looked at the bush where Pikachu had jumped out from and saw another tribute. Three separate bunches of flowers and a bottle of ketchup had been left.

It was a sad sight but this whole road was a tragic site for James. Looking back up from the road at his feet, James was confronted by the sight of a figure standing before him.

Moments of silence passed at the two stood staring at each other by the side of the road.

Neither moved or said a word.

Ash's eyes were cold as they stared at James.

James felt an emotion within him but for some reason he couldn't identify it.

Was it anger? Anger at the fact that this might not have happened had Ash been properly supervising his Pikachu?

Or was it sadness for Ash? Ash's love for his Pikachu had been proven again and again yet his Pikachu had shared the same horrific fate as Jesse.

James just didn't know.

"'Had to come here didn't you!" Ash remarked harshly breaking the silence, "'Couldn't just let it be could you!"

James said nothing, he was still numb.

"On today of all days..." Ash exclaimed. "Do you really think I wanted to see anyone from Team Rocket!"

James was angered, what right did the brat have to say this?

"Jesse died here too!" James stormed. "I had to be here today!"

"She killed Pikachu!" Ash shouted shaking his fist at James. "You son of a..."

James took a deep breath, "Your stupid rodent ran out in front of us!"

"You were driving too fast!" Ash stepped closer.

"Listen you little brat!" James spoke angrily as he too stepped closer, "I came here to pay tribute to Jesse, whom I loved, and don't you dare interfere!"

"Interfere?" Ash shrieked furiously, "You're lucky I didn't interfere a year ago, you'd have joined Jesse!"

James's temper snapped and his fist impacted with Ash's cheekbone. Ash fell to the ground and James stood angrily in front of him but with a look of shock on his face at what he'd just done.

"Bulbasaur! Squirtle! Go!" Ash cried as he threw two PokéBalls forward.

"Bulbasaur!" cried the Pokémon.

"Squirtle!" cried the second Pokémon.

Instinctively James reached for his PokéBalls and called out, "Arbok! Weezing! Go!"

With a flash the poison Pokémon and the beautiful Cobra appeared.

"Charrbok!"

"Weezing!"

James had adopted Arbok after Jesse died. Arbok missed Jesse sorely but had fully accepted James as its new master.

Following their masters orders the Pokémon began battling each other furiously. Ash leapt forward and pushed James to the ground.

The two rolled around in the wet road trying to punch or kick the other. "Are you satisfied?" Ash taunted. "Pikachu is dead because of you!"

"And Jesse is dead because of you!" James snarled as he pushed Ash off of him.

"I hate Team Rocket! I hated Jesse! And I hate you!" Ash shouted as he kicked James in the side.

James stumbled back to his feet and pushed Ash back. "Just go away!"

"No!" Ash pushed back. "You would never leave us alone!"

Ash dashed forward and pushed James back again with all his strength. James stumbled backwards but both had been too distracted to see the oncoming van. Ash froze in horror as its wheels screeched along but the road was too wet for the breaks to have much effect.

James felt the blow as the van hit him at speed and the purple haired Rocket was thrown several yards along the road.

Arbok and Weezing ceased fighting and looked on in horror.

Ash rushed over to James as fast as he could. He truly hadn't seen the van coming.

James lay on his back with blood flowing from his nose and mouth. His body tingled, unable to move and a large puddle of blood was forming from the back of his head. He could feel the sensation of the broken bones in his legs, arms, ribs, and just about everything.

James wanted to cry out in pain but he was unable too.

He could see the blurred sight of Ash and the van driver standing over him but he could only hear muffled sounds.

James knew what was inevitable.

Only now in these last moments did he have hope.

Hope that maybe, just maybe, he might be with Jesse again.

James clung to that thought as his mind became foggy and a small smile appeared on his face.

James let his eyes drift shut. He could swear he could hear Jesse's voice calling softly to him.

"Jesse..." James whispered with the last of his strength. ..."Jesse..."

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©1999, 2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/Game Freak

©1999, 2000, 03, 05 , 07 Anni Ruecroft/R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0706.20


	4. Ghosts

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Four**

**Ghosts**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on a pair of FanFics by Anni Ruecroft_**

Meowth wandered the countryside. He was lost in thought and meaning. He had always been hard on "those two humans" that used to keep him company. But in less than a year and a half, Jesse had died, taking their nemesis and quarry, that Pikachu... That DAMN Pikachu... And then James. He wasn't quite sure how it happened. He hadn't been there for the accident, but he wasn't far away.

He looked down at the belt that he wore like a bandoleer. Five PokéBalls hung from it. Dark brown spots covered the backside of the leather. The vision of the KID - that TWERP handing him the belt was still burned on his mind. Then, the sight of a Jenny handcuffing him and leading him away... Unbelievable...

He touched the balls. Arbok rolled a bit in its cocoon. Weezing knocked on the side of its unit. As usual, Lickitung did very little in its ball. Maybe it was because this wasn't its original ball - it was Victreebel's. But the plant Pokémon hadn't survived the accident, and Lickitung's PokéBall had been damaged. It nearly died inside its ball if Meowth hadn't managed to pry it open. It was then that he noticed that Victreebel's PokéBall had opened, ejecting the plant Pokémon straight into the tree that Jesse had hit while it was still in an energy mass form. Parts of it merged with the tree. Other parts continued on past the tree. There wasn't much that could have been done for it, and it probably never knew what happened - Another one of those "safety concerns" about PokéBalls that was keeping the Society for the Protection from Cruelty of Pokémon in the courts.

The Pokémon were a bit tentative having Meowth as their keeper. But, they stayed with him, if only in respect to their departed masters. And Meowth knew that they'd never fight for him. But at least it gave them a feeling of family. And the fifth ball was definitely not going to listen to him. But then again...

Ash had tried to recall his Pokémon after the accident. Squirtle returned without a hitch. But the Jennies were persistent when he tried to return Bulbasaur. The handcuff that struck his wrist caused him to loose grip on his PokéBall and it skipped into the weeds. He was still in shock over the accident and really didn't notice that he had dropped it. After the wreckers and rescue vehicles had left, Meowth found it under a bush.

Oddly, Bulbasaur had become Meowth's best advisor and confidant. The others didn't converse as well as Ash's Pokémon. Something the Twerp's training seemed to do better than Jesse's or James' did with their Pokémon. Odd...

"That's not our fault!"

Meowth jumped. He thought he had heard a voice - A VERY familiar voice.

"Meowth! Someone is moving me!"

Meowth turned white.

"J-Jesse? Jesse!"

"Wake up and smell the catnip, furball! Someone is MOVING ME!"

Meowth turned around. There, he was confronted by a pair of translucent boots. Next thing he saw was stars.

When he came to, he found that he was being carried by Arbok. Well, more like dragged. Arbok had the belt in its mouth, causing Meowth to drag his feet.

"Arbok! Put me down!" cried Meowth. Arbok complied with a thud. As usual, Meowth wasn't being cut a break.

"Don't stop now, we've got to find out what's going on with my body!" the voice said again. Meowth still had his face in the earth as Arbok slithered on by.

"Jesse! Jesse, where are you?" Meowth yelped, looking for those boots. They materialized in front of him again. This time, he got to see the rest of his old Team Rocket mate. But...

"Oh yuck! Jesse!" Meowth gagged. Jesse was there all right, looking just as she had the moment she had died.

"What?" she asked a bit confused at Meowth's reaction. Arbok had done the same for a little bit before he would comply...

"Well, geeze Jess, its great ta see yous again and all," the cat Pokémon stammered, "but could ya do something about your LOOKS? Yer grossing us all out! I mean, what are you anyway? You're dead!"

"What do you mean I'm dead?" Jesse angrily asked.

Meowth gave her a cockeyed look. "Well why would yous be askin' where your body is if you weren't IN IT?"

Jesse looked at her arms and legs, then noticed the large wound in her stomach. "Humm, good point… I guess you're right, Meowth!" She clutched her hands together in a praying position and concentrated hard. She slowly reverted her form to the fit and trim Jesse that they had remembered.

"That's better," Meowth muttered. "Hey, you're not any Gastly, are yous? You remember that one that fooled James years ago..."

Jesse thrust her fists into her hips and gave Meowth a 'Do I LOOK like a Gastly' look… though the flames surrounding her didn't help dissuade the point much.

"Okay," Meowth whimpered. "If you really are Jesse, what are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure," Jesse said. "The last thing I remember was... James! James was kissing me! Meowth! Where's James? And why are you carrying his belt?"

"Uh oh... You don't know?"

"Don't know WHAT furball?" she yelled, causing an ominous wind to blow the cat back.

"Jesse, James died about six months ago! He was killed in an accident while fightin' with dat kid Ash at the memorial site he had built for yous!"

"Fighting? Fighting over what? Me?"

"I don't know Jesse! I wasn't there for the actual fight... All I know is that he died when the kid pushed him into the path of a truck!"

Jesse fell to her knees. "James is dead? I - I can't feel him... I can't... No! Nooo! NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Jesse's cry blistered the night. A gale blew up. Trees toppled. Meowth's ears were ringing in pain. 'My god! A banshee's wail!' thought Meowth.

Arbok quickly retreated behind Meowth, who was curled up trying to cover his ears. Jesse's pain sure was going to be his tonight!

Suddenly it was quiet. Meowth slowly uncovered his ears and face, and peeked over to where Jesse's ghost had begun the rampage. He saw her sitting on her knees. She had removed one of her long black gloves and was looking confused at her hand.

"My ring! My ring is gone!"

"Ring!" asked Meowth. "You mean da ring James gave yous?"

"That's what brought me back!" she said. "Someone has moved my body AND removed James' ring!

"Geeze, next you'll say dat necklace is missing too!" Meowth blurted then realized what he had just said and covered his mouth. He awaited a possible explosion any minute...

"You're right!" she exclaimed. "My necklace is missing too!"

Meowth grabbed a PokéBall. He tapped on its surface and whispered, "Listen, I know that yous normally don't do nutthin' fer me, but could you come out and help just this once? We're about to be fried!"

The ball popped open, and Bulbasaur appeared.

"Vine whip that telephone pole over der, could ya? We're gonna need an anchor!"

Jesse the Banshee blew up once again. "HOW DARE THEY?"

Meowth hung onto Bulbasaur, while Arbok snake-hugged Meowth. It felt like they were hanging in mid-air for an eternity. The gale finally subsided.

"Quick!" Meowth told Bulbasaur, "get back into your ball before she sees yous! An' t'anks! There'll be some extra kibbles in yer grub tonight, kid!" Bulbasaur quickly returned to his ball before Jesse noticed it.

"My body is in THAT direction!" she yelled. "We must find it!"

"Anything yous say Jesse!" Meowth said nodding. "Yer da boss!"

'That felt good ta say!' Meowth thought to himself. At least part of Team Rocket was back together, and to Meowth, that was all that mattered.

Arbok happily returned to its ball, a bit spooked that its master had become such a creature. Humans!

Following Jesse's sense, they found themselves heading for Viridian City, former home of Team Rocket. The 'boss' hadn't rebuilt the Pokémon Gym he had there since it had been destroyed in an encounter between the Twerp and Jesse. A new gym had opened there, but it wasn't a Rocket gym.

Meowth was a bit uneasy heading back to their old stomping grounds. A whole series of failures has occurred there, and it didn't feel right to be back.

"Where to Jesse?" asked Meowth.

"The north end of town," she answered. Jesse hadn't walked a step during their journey, having floated the entire way. This was starting to spook Meowth. Then he thought about those directions she had just given, and he followed the pointing finger.

"Well, dat makes a bit of sense!" he quipped. "Da north end'a town is a cemetery!"

Half an hour later, they had crossed town, and were now at the entrance to the cemetery. Meowth saw a figure walking towards him. Jesse saw it as well, and was unimpressed. She scowled at the woman approaching them, hoping that she'd notice them. But the woman was crying too much to really notice.

"Hey!" Meowth finally realized, "I know dat dame! Dat's Jessebel!"

She continued to approach on collision course for Jesse.

And she walked right through her.

"How rude!" Jesse snipped at the departing Jessebel.

"It looked like she was coming from dat well lit place over der," Meowth noted, pointing towards the center of the darkened cemetery.

They approached the lit section. In the middle of an illuminated area were a pair of markers and someone standing before them. A small set of benches surrounded the area.

"Oh, Meowth!" a voice came from behind Team Rocket. They turned to see Cassidy. She was addressing Meowth, as she seemed oblivious of Jesse's presence. Just as well, thought Jesse.

"You've been missed in Team Rocket," Cassidy told the cat.

"Not like yous been lookin' real hard!" Meowth quipped back. "What's goin' on here?"

"The boss... he's on his nightly sojourn he calls it." Cassidy said sadly. Meowth and Jesse noticed this.

"Cassidy, what's this all about?" Meowth asked again. "What is that?"

Cassidy looked down at the cat, tears welling up in her eyes. "You don't know, really? The boss sank half of his wealth into this... The Team Rocket Memorial, though the locals know it as the Sakaki's Memorial. When those two died... it hit him hard. I don't think it occurred to him how much he really needed them."

Jesse, looking a bit dazed, started to walk towards the markers. Meowth didn't know which way to look.

"Jesse, wait!" he whispered loudly. Cassidy, who had been crying, looked at the Pokémon.

"Jesse?" she asked through the tears.

"Ah... never mind!" Meowth said, starting to follow the ghost. "It's probably something only a Pokémon can see anyway! 'Been real nice ta see ya Cass! Bye!"

Cassidy gave a slight wave, though thoroughly confused. Then she saw dark spots crossing the lighted concrete. They looked like footprints.

"Jesse!" she whispered as she remained motionless.

Giovanni stood like a statue before the markers. Jesse stopped behind him. She noticed the concrete in front of him was splattered in small dark spots. The boss? Crying?

Meowth came up and saw the markers for what they were. "Jesse," he whispered, "look! Those are headstones!"

Jesse looked at the stones. The left one read...

"Jesse Musashi - Prepare for Trouble..."

The right one read

"James Kojiro - Make it Double..."

Above each name was a crystal sphere in the shape of PokéBalls. Inside James' was the necklace he had given her. And inside the sphere over her own name, Jesse saw her ring... and another ring. An engagement ring! Jesse looked at Meowth, a devastated look on her face.

"He was planning to give it to ya after da mission was completed," Meowth murmured while pawing at the ground. He then noticed the shadow in front of him move. He looked up to see Giovanni looking squarely at Jesse.

"Jesse?" he asked. Was he seeing her-Or at least a bit of her?

"Jesse? Jesse! Don't go!"

Meowth was confused. "Go? She's not going anywhere! She's right there!"

Giovanni suddenly noticed Meowth for the first time. "Meowth! Where is she? I just saw her!"

"She's still there," Meowth replied. "There, she's holding your hand..."

Giovanni felt his hand come up. He saw fingers press into his palm.

"This isn't fair! Why can't I see her?" Giovanni yelled.

"I don'no," Meowth said. "I think its some Pokémon only thing here..."

"Daddy..." Jesse said.

"What?" Meowth answered.

Giovanni pulled his hand away. "No. This isn't possible! This is some sort of MewTwo psychic revenge plot!"

Giovanni turned on his heel and walked away. He pulled a communication device from his pocket and started to bark out orders to his operatives about security sweeps. As he passed her, Cassidy turned and followed, keeping an eye back towards the headstones.

Jesse fell to her knees. She was looking at her own grave! That's what she had felt! She had been re-interred here - beside her love!

Meowth stayed back watching. He then noticed a figure sitting at one of the benches facing the headstones. He was disheveled, and in need of a shave. The beard showed signs that it's owner was still young. He seemed to be staring at the ground. Meowth moved a bit closer to see who or what it was sitting there.

"By all dat is Pokémon! Kid! Is dat you?"

Ash didn't answer. He looked up and gave Meowth a twitching smile.

Meowth stood agape looking at what was left of their old foe. Then he remembered Bulbasaur.

"Look, kid, I found one of your Pokémon..."

"Please don't give that to him!" came a voice from behind Ash. Meowth craned to see beyond the hunkered over teen. There he saw Mrs. Ketchum.

"The doctors have said that he shouldn't have any Pokémon for awhile." she continued.

Meowth was really getting way too much information in just a few minutes. Jesse just called the boss "Daddy," and the kid is now a recluse that's not allowed to play with PokéBalls anymore!

"What's he doin' here?" Meowth asked Mrs. Ketchum.

"He asked to come here. We've been coming ever since they built this…"

Ash looked over at Jesse. She was still on her knees, staring at the rings in her sphere.

"Hey Jesse," he said to the ghost. Meowth slowly looked over at Ash. He was seeing her!

"Ash dear, are you okay?" asked Mrs. Ketchum.

Jesse looked over at the creature on the bench. At first, it didn't register to her just who that was talking to her. Puberty had changed the squeaky voiced kid into a broken voiced baritone. But then it dawned on her... The TWERP!

"Prepare for trouble!" he said to the ghost.

She sat back for a moment, letting what was just said to her sink in, and by whom. Anger started to well up in her.

"And make it double!"

That wasn't the twerp!

Meowth's chin hit the concrete. All of his PokéBalls popped open and deposited their Pokémon to see their old masters once again.

Jesse turned to see James standing behind her. Though, for some reason, he was in a Tuxedo Mask outfit! That's our James!

"I didn't want to risk Jessebel seeing me here - in case she could that is!" he said. He then reached into Jesse's sphere and pulled out the engagement ring. He grabbed her by the hand, spun her once and proceeded to kiss her. Jesse didn't know what to do but just go along with the show. And while he kissed her, he managed to place the ring on her finger.

"Marry me!" he told her.

"James!" cried Jesse. "James I've missed you... marry you?"

"Yes!" he said gleefully. "Marry me!"

"Er, James, it may have escaped you, but isn't it just a bit too late for that?" she said, trying to humor her mate.

"Ah, my dear Jesse! There you are SO wrong! You see, I've been practicing with this new form of ours! You can do almost anything! Think hard about becoming solid!"

Jesse watched as James knit his brow, and became a solid mass again.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Mrs. Ketchum now seeing James.

Jesse followed suit and also solidified.

"Now, all we need is someone to make it official!" James said, and snapped his fingers. From above them came a figure of a judge, zonked out in a trance.

"James! Isn't that the judge that sent us to prison?"

"Too true!" James grinned. "Too true! I thought that she should have the honor!"

So with all of their remaining Pokémon present, the judge made short duty of the wedding vows. James used the other ring as a wedding band. Jesse didn't care where it was from. She had her man back. And now, for an eternity!

Ash smiled, took his mother by the hand, and walked away followed by Bulbasaur. In the distant hills, he heard the cry of a Pikachu. He paused then continued on.

In an office at New Team Rocket Headquarters, a surveillance tape was being played back. The black and white document showed the entire wedding service. Giovanni watched with interest. He flicked a switch on his personal tape recorder.

"Miss Shard, take a note... All Team Rocket Members, be they living or dead, WILL continue their assigned projects until completion. I expect Jesse and James in here MONDAY MORNING! That should give them a few days of honeymooning at least!"

Just when you thought they were gone...

Prepare for trouble!

Make it Gastly double!

oOo

Characters from Poke Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/Game Freak

Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon) ©1991 Naoko Takeuchi

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0501.31 – 0706.20


	5. A Pokemon's Spirit

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Five**

**A Pokémon's Spirit**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott_**

"There it is again!" James said in the darkened room.

Jesse sighed.

"James - DEAR..." she said through gritted teeth, "You're the one who showed me how to jump time-lines in this form. There shouldn't be a sound around anywhere!"

It was their honeymoon night... err... day... it was hard to tell. Since they were both ghosts, Jesse and James were discovering some things about being specters that would have kept researchers like Professor Oak busy for years... Secrets like those only a Gastly, Haunter or a Gengar would know about trans-dimensional manipulation, retro-chronal phase shifting, or just scaring the bejeebies out of passing grannies. If only they knew just exactly what they were doing!

James and Jesse had been busy getting an earful from Meowth about a telegram he had been given by Mondo, the Team Rocket gopher. The Boss had ordered them back to work that Monday, their being dead not withstanding.

"I hope you's enjoy yer honeymoon!" the feline Pokémon griped. "Da boss really knows how ta ruin a perfectly good weekend!"

"Now Meowth!" Jesse said in her best put down voice, "we must ALWAYS do what the boss tells us to do, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!"

"But yer DEAD!" shrieked the cat.

"That's never stopped Team Rocket before!" James said then thought about what he DID just say. "Wait a minute..."

James brooded while sitting on the edge of the bed. Meowth continued on without trying to figure James' last input.

"Speakin' of da boss..." Meowth said, pointing at Jesse, "Just what DID you mean back at da memorial when you's called da boss..."

James started to look like a Psyduck with a migraine. "Oh, TIME OUT!"

James' outburst had caught Jesse by surprise, making her turn to look at him. She suddenly noticed that it was now very quiet - Extremely quiet. She looked over at Meowth, and was greeted by a statue. It looked like Meowth - it was colored like Meowth - it had that gaping huge MOUTH like Meowth - it was just much too quiet to be Meowth... or could it?

She looked around the room of the honeymoon suite. She had earlier opened the French Doors to the balcony to let some air in. There she saw the drapes were standing out, motionless. They looked as if someone had thrown a gallon of starch onto them. She stood up and walked over to the doorway. Below them was the hotel's swimming pool. A Horsea was in the water, and a Vaporeon was on the edge stiffly watching its master make a dive. But she was stuck in mid-air, hung there by whatever... whatever James had just said!

"James, dear... What's going on here?"

"Huh? What?"

Jesse waived her arms about, palms outstretched, as if this wild flopping of her arms would tell James just what the question was.

"What?" James repeated.

"THIS!" she yelled.

"This? We're on our Honeymoon!"

"No no! Meowth's a statue! The pool is stuck! People in mid-jump! Curtains standing out like boards!"

James smiled and nodded. "Oh, that! I jumped a time-line!"

Jesse cocked her head, winked an eye, and cleared her left ear so that she could hear that one again. "Jumped a what?"

"Jumped a time-line, or at least that's what I call it… I saw it on an old Doctor Who!"

"Doctor, who?"

"No no, Doctor WHO! An old TV series!"

Jesse stuck her finger in her ear and gave a twist. "James, you're not making any sense!"

"Didn't you watch Doctor Who when you were a kid?"

"I didn't have a television when I was a kid! Mum-mum and I had to do without!" Jesse pouted a bit at yet another thought of her unfortunate youth. Not taking the hint though, James the clod kept bantering on.

"Oh, it was great! Growlie and I never missed a Saturday afternoon of the Doctor! I remembered in one episode where everyone was frozen in time, but the Doctor was free to move about and save the day! So, I thought, if HE could do it, so could I! So I did!"

Jesse just looked at James dumbfounded. "James, you froze time?"

"Well, sort of... I jumped the time-line really..."

Jesse gave James the best squirrel face she could. "What does THAT mean?"

"Well, as the Doctor described it, time runs on like a string. If you jump off that string, you stop traveling through time."

Jesse still didn't know what to make of this time jumping stuff, but WOW! James had actually come up with something EXTREMELY useful!

"Is there anything else this time jumping does," Jesse asked.

"Well, you can go back and forth in time!"

Jesse's jaw hit the floor. "Well, that means that you could go back in time and prevent our deaths!"

James shook his head. "No, I tried that... there's some sort of limit that keeps me from going back all the way to my death... I wind up about an hour after the fact!"

Jesse looked at the ground in thought. "Well, how about stealing Pokémon?"

James shook him head again... "Nope, it doesn't work. I found that if you touch a living thing, you drop back into the time stream."

What had looked like a great advantage was quickly evading Jesse's grasp. Ah well, such is Team Rocket's luck it would seem...

"So, just what CAN you do with this power?" she said with an exasperated sigh, joining James on the edge of the bed.

"Well, I have been using the extra time it gave me to practice and learn how to use my powers as a spirit!" James answered, snapping his fingers. A rose appeared before Jesse.

"I figure that it also gives us MUCH more time for our honeymoon - more than the boss was expecting anyway!" James added, falling back onto the bed.

Jesse took hold of the floating rose. She looked at the stasis-stung Meowth, then at the rose. A wily smirk passed over her face as she inserted the rose into her hair above her left ear and joined James on the bed. He was looking at the ceiling. She moved close to her new husband and kisses him on his left cheek. He smiled.

Suddenly, he was sitting upright, looking at the walls in a slight panic. Jesse landed flat on her face in the pillow.

"Did you hear that?" James said in a startled state.

Jesse pulled herself out of the pillow. "Hey!" she yelled.

"Huh?" James could only muster at first. He looked back at Jesse. "Oh, Jesse! I'm so sorry! It's just that I thought I heard something!"

Jesse didn't understand at first. "So? What if you did?" she questioned.

"Jess, we're out of the time-line! Nothing moves - Nothing makes a sound!"

Jesse thought about this for a moment. It actually made sense. She nodded an agreement, but then added "Well, I didn't hear anything."

"Yea..." James said, still giving the room one last look around. "I guess you're right! Besides, I've got the prettiest member of Team Rocket right here! Why should I worry about any strange little noise I might hear?"

"You've got THAT right mister!" Jesse coyly snarled. James didn't need THAT big a hint to take a hint!

Unfortunately for Jesse, James kept hearing noises for the next hour or two. The constant starting and stopping was annoying enough, but now it was getting downright out of hand!

"There it is again!" James said in the darkened room.

Jesse sighed.

"James - DEAR..." she said through gritted teeth, "You're the one who showed me how to jump time-lines in this form. There shouldn't be a sound around anywhere!"

"But Jesse!" James pleaded, "You know I don't want this any more than you do! It's our honeymoon night for crying out loud!" James was starting to blubber.

"James! Snap out of it!" she answered him, adding a few swats of her hand across his face. "Now, how can I alleviate this situation?"

James was panting hard from Jesse's calming face slaps. "Just lie back down and close your eyes. Listen hard. See if you can hear what I'm hearing!"

"See if you can hear... yes dear!" she mumbled and laid back down. She stared at the ceiling for a moment then closed her eyes.

She concentrated. She really tried. But all she got was a slight rumbling from James.

"You're not asleep, are you?" she barked.

"No… asthma! I always had a touch of it when I am nervous!"

"YOU'RE A GHOST JAMES! GHOSTS DON'T HAVE ASTHMA!"

"Sorry," he sheepishly responded. "Lets try again, please?" His pleading hit Jesse. He really was desperate.

"Okay," she said, calming down, falling back again, and once again, trying to hear James' unknown sound.

"There!" came from James.

"Humm?" listened Jesse. There was something... High pitched, and hauntingly reminiscent of... of what?

"oooooooou! ooooou! ooooOOoooooOOOooooh!"

"James! I hear it!" Jesse exclaimed, eyes still clamped shut. James nodded, but since his eyes were shut as well, little was seen between the two of them.

"oooooOoooOoooOOOOOoooooooH!"

"I told you I heard something!" James said with a little excitement in his voice.

"You're right! But what is it?" Jesse asked.

"'OOOooooooooOOoOOoooOOH are you two a sight!"

Jesse and James both froze. James grabbed Jesse's right hand with his left and squeezed hard. They both took their remaining hands and dug into the mattress of the bed like it would protect them during this fall.

"You can both open your eyes! I'm not gonna hurt you!" the squeaky voice said.

Something was rattling through Jesse's head. That voice! She had heard it before... It's just... It's just...

...IT JUST NEVER TALKED TO THEM BEFORE!

Suddenly she heard James exclaim "YOU!" She opened her eyes and looked up - uh - down... down at her belly.

Straddling the two Team Rocket ghosts, standing on their bellies, was Pikachu.

Jesse screamed.

A wind arose within the room. The vortex swirled around, even though all objects were still stuck in position by the time-line jump.

The TIME-LINE!

With a roaring thud, the three spirits hit reality once again. The wind had blown Pikachu around the room until it touched Meowth.

"...Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" Meowth yelped as the torrent of wind flung him about.

Because the vortex appeared from out of nowhere, solid objects within the room shattered into kindling. The wall facing the swimming pool burst out, showering the pool area with debris from ten stories up! The swimmer and Pokémon had been caught by surprise, but the Vaporeon had taken a defensive position and was protecting those it could by putting up an ice shield.

James tried to calm his wife. Pikachu simply got control of himself and floated out the storm.

Jesse scrambled off what was left of the bed. "Time out James! Time out!" she yelled.

"Oh, time out has already been done," the spirit of that yellow rodent said.

"Oh, my achin' charm!" Meowth said from under some of the shards of what had once been the room's bureau. He then got an eyeful...

"Pika, y'all!"

"OH MY GAWD! IT'S DA PIKACHU! HE'S HERE TO GET HIS REVENGE!" the hysterical cat bellowed.

By this point James was extremely miffed. "Now look at what you did! And what do you mean you already called time out? Meowth is still moving!"

Meowth suddenly didn't know which to worry about first... Pikachu, or what James just said. "What'a ya mean 'still moving'?"

Pikachu just shook it head. "I was selective when I set the time out! Take a look!" He then beckoned them to the hole in the wall.

Sure enough, looking out the hole gave Team Rocket a sight to behold. Wall components were hanging in mid-air. The Vaporeon was still protecting a small frozen crowd under its shield.

Pikachu then waved a finger. "Now, let's fix this mess!"

The two humans and cat Pokémon watched as the wall components reversed course and returned to where they came. Piece by piece, section by section, it reassembled itself into a perfectly painted doorway wall.

"Wha - wha - what's goin' on?" Meowth stammered while watching the destroyed furniture and room clutter come together. Sticks seemed to walk across the room and form cabinets and chairs. The bureau launched itself again, landing where it had started from intact - assembling itself like someone had just shown a movie in reverse of a house of cards being knocked down.

Jesse watched in awe. "That's - that's amazing!" James only nodded with his mouth agape.

"It's just a simple case of selective time reversal!" Pikachu stated. "Now... to the matter at hand..."

Jesse snapped out of the awed position she had been in. "No, YOU wait! Why can we understand you now? You're SPEAKING!"

"Well duh! I'M DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD! We're ALL dead- Well all except Meowth here… He could understand me even when I was still on his plane!"

James too had finally come out of his awed stupor. "Just THINK what the boss will give us if we present him with a SPEAKING Pikachu!" He lunged and grabbed Pikachu.

The lightning that struck Jesse and James felt ten times worse than it had ever felt before. Both were ejected across the room into a heap.

Meowth was surprised. The lightning had passed right threw him without even a tingle!

"You two never learn! Zapdos help us all!" the Pikachu snarled. "Do you think I want to do this! The LAST thing I wanted was to be with YOU TWO!"

"Wh - why did - d - d that h - h - hurt so much this time?" James managed to whimper.

Meowth looked at the heap on the floor. "I don'no about you's two, but I've never felt better!"

Pikachu landed on the floor next to James' head. "Because I'm almost PURE ENERGY now! So are you. And I can EASILY scramble your patterns if I wish!"

Jesse got up, a bit unsure of herself, but still she managed. James followed, a bit singed behind the ears.

"This is our HONEYMOON, you yellow peril!" shouted the steamed James, much to Jesse's surprise. "WHY are YOU making this a holy HELL?"

"Hey!" the electric mouse growled, "I'M being punished here too!"

"Oh!" sarcastically ranted James, who had held a great deal of angst against Pikachu for all this time. "You're taking the blame for all of this?"

"YES I AM!" yelled Pikachu right back, electric sparks flying from his cheeks. "If it wasn't for my jumping out of that bush back in Pallet, we'd ALL not be here right now! As it is, we're stuck with one another!"

James was about to launch another tirade when Meowth intervened. "Wait a minute James! What do's you mean 'stuck wit' one another'?"

The mouse looked down at Meowth - By the great Persian, he WAS bigger than before! Almost Raichu in size!

"...An' what's wit' da eye-patch?" Meowth added.

Oddly, the Team hadn't noticed the eye-patch that covered over Pikachu's left eye. The mouse gave a slight laugh.

"This is what caused this entire episode!" he said. "This is what that Spearow did to me that caused me to jump out of that bush!"

"Then why didn't you fix it like we did our bodies?" Jesse asked. Then she felt a wave of shock run through her... She was WORRIED about Pikachu's condition! Why? Could it be... could it be because this suddenly meant Pikachu really wasn't at fault?

"It happened BEFORE I died. It didn't cause my death, so I'm stuck with it! Besides, it reminds me of my mission!"

"Mission?" Meowth and James said in unison.

Pikachu nodded. "That's right! I'm here to teach Team Rocket!"

"Teach us?" asked the threesome. "Teach us what?"

"Skills, people! Survival skills, battle techniques, the lot!" Pikachu said, planting his little fists into his big wide hips. "We have to prepare for the upcoming battle, and we're gonna need all the 'bodies' we can muster!"

Again, the threesome looked at one another then said in unison "What battle?"

"Lugia..."

Jesse and James just blinked at Pikachu. Meowth on the other hand got down on his paws and knees and started to pray.

Before either of them could ask Meowth what he was doing, there was a loud thump on the balcony.

"What was that?" Jesse said heading towards the window doorway.

Pikachu watched her go towards the door. "A friend, and my assistant have arrived to help out. They'll need to be taught as well."

Jesse opened the drapes and looked out the door. She was greeted by the steaming muzzle of a Charizard. A pair of legs could be seen on either side of its neck.

"Ch - Charizard?"

"Hey Jesse! How's the honeymoon goin'?" came a broken voice from the rider of the Charizard.

"T - Twerp!"

"Down, Charizard!" ordered Ash. When she had last seen Ketchum, he was a disheveled heap sitting at the edge of the memorial for Team Rocket. It hadn't changed much. He still was unshaved, and he needed a haircut. His clothes were still those drab blue shirt and pants. But his league hat was back on his head, as was an official league officer's badge!

"Look at that!" James said seeing who it was. "The brat's been drafted!"

"I've been sent by Professor Oak and the Pokémon League," he said in a monotone drawn out voice. "A representative of the Stratus League is to visit here today. We need the information that this representative has for the up coming battle..."

Then he saw his Pokémon.

"P - Pikachu?" he said.

"Hi Ash," Pikachu said, a tear welling up in his eye. "Long time n - no see?" it said breaking up.

Ash stood there for a moment, transfixed to the balcony. It was Charizard, who, with his head, push Ash into the room and towards his lost friend.

"PIKACHUUU!" he yelled, falling to his knees crying. Pikachu had managed to solidify just in time otherwise Ash would have swiped right through him.

Jesse was crying. James was weeping. Meowth was still praying.

"Ash need Pikachu!" came a voice from the balcony. Jesse and James looked back.

There was only the Charizard. He looked at them with a cocked head.

"What? Is there something on me?" it asked.

"Ch - Ch - Cha - Charizard TALKED?" James stammered.

Pikachu managed to get his head unburied from Ash's hug. "Oh, that's because of me! While I'm around, you'll be able to understand Ash's Pokémon… Yours as well, but I'm not too sure how well they'll communicate!"

"Oh how convenient!" James said. "Jesse, get hold of yourself! This is STILL the enemy! And YOU Meowth! What are you praying about?"

"Its da end of da woild as we know it!" yelled the cat Pokémon. "Yahahahahaaa!"

"What's he yammering about?" Jesse asked.

"No, he's right!" said Charizard, "Unless we all can stop its coming!"

"A week ago, Professor Oak and the Pokémon League received a message via PokéDex," Ash said through his tears. "'Lugia is returning - Prepare!' was all it said. Yesterday, after you two had your rendezvous, Professor Oak and the League received another message. It said that an agent of good would come here today to advise us on how to deal with this threat. Pikachu, I never thought it would be you!"

"Hey," Pikachu said giving Ash's chin a tap with his fist, "obvious choice, wasn't I?"

"But what's that got to do with us?" Jesse said in a less than enthralled voice.

Pikachu looked at the Rocket members. "You two are valuable to us. There are very few human spirits that still have control over their Pokémon. Pokémon usually spook quite easily... Plus the fact that you've discovered the rudimentary basics of being ghosts... You need further training on how to handle yourselves better. That's MY job."

"Your job?" yelped James. "What for? Who is this Lugia?"

Ash looked up. "Lugia - the ultimate Pokémon. Surely you remember..."

"An Ultimate Pokémon? Jesse eagerly said.

"Ooh, what a catch THAT would be!" James answered.

"Lugia is un-catchable, folks!" Ash scolded them. "You should know that! Besides, YOU wouldn't WANT to catch THIS one!"

Jesse and James were about to give the Twerp a sassy comeback, but the brains of Team Rocket finally spoke.

"He's right!" cried Meowth. "Lugia is da bringer of da end of da woild!"

Ash looked at Meowth a bit confused. "It is? Pikachu, what is he talking about?"

Pikachu shook his head, looking a bit confused himself. "Beats me... The Stratus League reported that this Lugia seems to controls an army of Gastlys, Haunters and Gengars!"

Jesse and James were starting to worry about these little tidbits that were being fed to them. "S - So?"

Pikachu extracted himself from Ash's grip and floated over towards James. "Haunters 'eat' souls using their Dream Eater attack... And when last I checked on a spirit's energy stats, you're made up of approximately ninety-five percent soul!"

Jesse and James swallowed hard.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday morning, 8 AM. Mondo arrived at the Honeymoon Suite.

There was no sign of Team Rocket.

There was a note.

It read...

"Got a better offer... See you after Lugia! Jesse, James and Meowth - Pikachu, Ash and his Pokémon."

Giovanni crushed the note in his hand. "Lugia?"

oOo

Characters from Pokemon©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/Game Freak  
"Star Trek" ©2000, 03, 05, 07 Paramount Pictures  
"Doctor Who" ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The British Broadcasting Company

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0501.31 – 0706.20


	6. Apprenticeship

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Six**

**Apprenticeship**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott_**

James was sweating hard. Amazing, considering the fact that he was a spirit. He had been running as fast as his vaporous legs would take him. The simple act of flying seemed only to slow him down. And right now, slow was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Hawhawhawhaw!"

The building was dark - Extremely dark. What light would have entered through the broken windows had been muted and dulled by tattered draped on the inside, and a dark rainy day on the out. This wasn't helping at all!

"Hawhawhawhaw!"

James jumped. He rose three floors, right through the woodwork of the tower. Reaching the copula on the roof, he hunkered into a corner seeking an even darker area than where he had been running from. He reached behind himself, and brought out a strange PokéBall.

"HAWHAWHAWHAW!"

The PokéBall was a sizable one - roughly the size of a large grapefruit. And where the button shaped beam emitter would have been was a funnel like device. In what little light he had James examined the ball.

"It looks like a bike horn!" he mumbled.

"HAWHAWHAWHAWHAW!"

James wheeled around and pointed the ball at the oncoming laughing voice, but it was too late. The Haunter was right behind him, and he soon found his head deep inside the ghost Pokémon's gaping maul.

"Haunter, return!"

Haunter backed off, laughing hysterically. Down below, inside a mobile control center, Sabrina had called her Haunter back from the test yet again. Bill and Oak looked at one another and sighed. Jesse sat back in her chair and looked at the readouts, with Ash standing behind her.

"Well, he lasted longer this time," Ash noted.

Jesse sighed and keyed a mic. "James, dear... WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

James tapped the headset he was wearing. The ringing in his ear meant his loving wife had once again peeled an eardrum. "I'm sorry Jess! But I got further this time!"

"The idea isn't for you to get FURTHER but to TEST that GassyBall!" barked Jesse.

"I'm sorry," Sabrina said. "It might be Ash's Haunter's fault. I tried to train it, but it seemed to prefer having fun instead..."

Ash looked over at his old adversary. "A real party Pokémon, ea?"

Sabrina nodded. "And bringing it back here to its home tower only made it more excited. When it met up with its old friends, it nearly became uncontrollable. I've put much of my willpower into keeping them here and working with us."

Haunter entered the room through the wall. It looked about at the scowling faces looking back at it. It gave a sheepish grin and moved towards its mistress.

"Haunter, we really need your cooperation here!" Bill said as it passed him. "I've told you that I've rigged the Gassy Ball to only capture, not process you. It's completely safe. Can't you let James catch you once?"

The ghost Pokémon looked about the room and didn't see the Pikachu.

"Hawhawhahwhawhaw haw hawhaw ha ha hawhaw haw!" it said to Sabrina.

She stifled a giggle and composed herself. "It says that it's trying... James is just too easy a target!"

Jesse reached up and pinched the Haunter by what could be looked at as its ear location. Jesse was a natural at being a ghost, even though James had been practicing more than she had, and had learned, at least in rudimentary form, powers like time-jumping and such. She had also managed to learn the art of grabbing other ghosts, and Haunter was more often her target of much resentment.

"Listen gas-bag! We need to get that PokéBall certified, otherwise we're never going to be able to get them produced!" she explained to the unhelpful ghost. "Cooperation WOULD BE APPRECIATED!"

"Hawhaw haw ha ha Rocket needs to get a life... uh oh!"

"Piiiiikaaaaa!" an angry voice came from the other end of the room.

"He he he... uh... Hi!" Haunter grimaced.

"You're not helping!" Pikachu growled. "Give James a break and get caught!"

Haunter sulked behind Sabrina after getting Jesse to release it.

"Well, it's not all Haunter's fault, Pikachu!" Ash scolded right back. Jesse was about to say something, but suddenly realized that the Twerp was correct.

"I know, I know," Pikachu said. He looked like he had a headache. "But we've got to get further along... I just received a message from the Stratus League... We're looking at Lugia arriving in about thirty days..."

The room fell silent. No one seemed to know just what to do next.

"Send that Haunter back in here!" came over the speaker. Jesse looked over at the control board and found that she had left her mic keyed. James had heard everything.

"That's the spirit!" Professor Oak cheered.

"Yes I am!" James responded.

Only days before, James had been giving a different retort.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why should we do ANYTHING for YOU, rodent? And why should we do ANYTHING with the TWERP?"

James had forgotten that he had solidified into a solid mass only minutes earlier, but was quickly reminded about it as Charizard swatted him with its tail. He passed through a wall or two before returning to the honeymoon suite. Pikachu repaired the holes with his time-warping effect.

Pikachu cleared its throat. "Well, we didn't expect to just TAKE you two along without asking for your permission first! We do have something to offer you two in exchange for your help."

"Oh?" Team Rocket harmonized.

"We can offer you..."

"Money?"

"A new house?"

"How about new bodies?" Pikachu said. He would have winked, but the eye-patch made it look more like a blink.

"B - bodies?" Jesse and James said, looking at each other.

"You's mean dat you's c'n give dem new bodies?" Meowth said for them.

"Sure, a little energy transfer and manipulation... Someone in the office once called it the Starscream Offer..."

"W-what would we DO with these bodies?" James said, not quite getting what Pikachu was offering.

"LIVE IN THEM," the mouse chirped as he pinched his forehead. "Honestly... And when time comes for you to REALLY pass on from this mortal coil, you'll REALLY pass on - not hang about as spirits!"

Ash looked at Team Rocket a bit perplexed. "Are you telling me that these two aren't really dead Pikachu?"

Jesse and James' eye grew huge and were thrown into exaggerated shocked stares at Ash. Weren't dead?

"Well, do you remember when we were removed from our bodies when we were in the Lavender Tower?" Pikachu said while scratching his chin.

"Sure... Haunter, Gastly and Gengar dropped a chandelier on us. While we were out, they pulled our... our... what did they pull out of us?"

"Our souls..." Pikachu answered frankly.

"Whaaa?" Ash yelped. This was the most 'life' Pikachu had seen out of his old master in awhile. "But I remember you being, er, less colorful then..."

"You mean I was a drab gray... So were you... But that was because we still had our bodies to go back to. It's all pretty technical..."

Ash scratched his head. "I'll say."

Pikachu nodded. "Anyway, the same situation happened to Jesse and James here."

"...And you," Ash added.

"Eaa, no. I am not like them..."Pikachu noted as he waved his hands about. "I am here merely as a representative, on loan to the Stratus League. When and if my job is done here, I must return."

"Pikachu... no!" Ash had not really needed to hear that.

Pikachu sighed. He also didn't need to remind himself of this either. "Anyway, their physical bodies have died, but not their souls, their spirits... The league suspects that their constant run-ins with the many different Pokémons have possibly affected their life forces."

"Affected their life forces?" Meowth questioned. Something was beginning to make his fur stand on end. "What did it do to us?"

Pikachu crossed his arms and looked between the two spirits and the cat. "Well, just how many times did you three get blown up, ejected into the stratosphere, dropped off cliffs, ELECTROCUTED, flamed, drowned, buried, or crushed, only to get up and do it again?"

Team Rocket looked at one another. There weren't enough fingers and toes to count this one!

"Right," Pikachu answered. "If any of that had happened to Ash here, you wouldn't have had to worry about stealing me from him, because he would have been street pizza!"

"I've survived being flamed, soaked and ZAPPED!" Ash grumbled almost jealously.

"The thing is," Pikachu continued, "these three should have been dead LONG AGO! Something MUST have protected them! Otherwise, a simple accident of ramming a car into a tree wouldn't have killed Jesse. James would have been bounced by that truck!"

Meowth was sweating up a storm at this point. "W-what about me?" it murmured.

Pikachu shook his head. "The Stratus League does not sense anything protecting you at this time. But a time-jump test did show a possible energy source in your past, and in those of Jesse and James. What that energy was is still unknown, but we have our suspicions..." This didn't seem to settle Meowth any, as he continued to mumble to himself.

Pikachu sat back on his tail. "So, what's it to be?"

Jesse and James were sitting on the edge of the bed. They looked at one another, trying to get the feel of what the other was thinking. A long quiet moment passed in thought.

There were advantages to being a spirit - The sheer power of it for one - The fact that they'd never have to worry about aging - That they'd be together forever. What else would they need?

"Children."

Pikachu dropped that word in like a brick. "What was that?" James said.

"You were wishing to have children," Pikachu answered. "You can't have them in this form."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Jesse started. "Who said anything about ki..."

Jesse got a full face of James. Big wet eyes were looking at her wishing they weren't about to hear what she was blurting out. Oops!

"Oh... ah.. Of course! Children! We can't have any children in this form," she sheepishly corrected herself.

"Snork!"

That unpleasant sound had come from Meowth, who had quickly scooted behind Charizard. Charizard leaned down towards the cat Pokémon.

"You just thought of Miss Jesse carrying human kittens, didn't you?" it whispered to Meowth.

"SNORK! SNORK! SNORK!"

Pikachu just shook his head. The giggling fits were an ugly sight when the giggler doesn't have a nose!

"What is your answer?" the yellow electric mouse pressed.

"Give us a moment! We're thinking!" yelled Jesse.

"No, I need an answer NOW!" Pikachu barked right back. "Time is short and I need an answer! Otherwise, the League will have to fall back on its second option!"

Ash was confused, again. "Second option? What second option?"

"A full frontal assault on the Lugian forces by the Stratus League and their allies," Pikachu answered. He shook his head.

"Aren't they strong enough to fight off the Lugian forces?" asked Ash.

"Oh no, they'd put up a good fight - there would be a good chance that they'd win too! But the resulting battle would destroy this world as well- Not exactly what they'd want to do..."

James crossed his arms and sat back. "Okay, I'm in!"

Jesse whirled around and gave James a shocked look. Meowth peered over Charizard's tail.

"James!" Jesse babbled. "James... I... I..."

"Jesse, look at his offer! This..." He put his hand 'through 'her in a sweeping motion. "This isn't what I was wishing for you and me!"

"But James, we're members of Team Rocket!"

"NO!" barked James. "NO! We are NO LONGER members of Team Rocket! Not while we're in THIS form at least!"

Meowth's mouth was dragging along the ground as he made his way around Charizard's tail. Charizard was giving James a shocked look as well. Ash wasn't shocked, but he was impressed by James' sudden show of chutzpah.

"But - but James," Jesse said a bit meekly. She had never seen this look on his face before. And she sure wasn't ready for what he was about to say to her when she said "The boss said that we're to report for duty on Monday morning!"

"I don't CARE what 'DADDY' has to say!" James growled through angry gritting teeth.

Meowth gave James another whacked-out look... Was 'He' (Meowth) the only one who didn't know?

Meanwhile, Jesse sat back in shock - James knew? Instinctively, she reared back and threw a swinging palm at James' face, but he grabbed her hand before it impacted.

Meowth started to jump in on Jesse's defense but found himself floating off the floor. He gave Pikachu a quick look, but the rodent just shook his head. He then pointed behind Meowth.

Meowth looked back and saw that Charizard had snared him with one claw to the bandoleer. Charizard just shook a finger at him and gave him a 'don't interfere' look. Meowth just nodded.

"Jesse, can you feel this!" James grumbled. "CAN YOU!" He squeezed hard on her captured hand.

Jesse reared back in imagined pain. But then she noticed... there really wasn't any. James was obviously pressing exceptionally hard into her hand, yet all she really felt was a slight tingling.

"Jesse, you should be howling in pain right now!" He then placed his hand gently on her face, caressing her left cheek. Again, only a slight tingle - no real sensation.

"Jesse, I want to be able to feel you again - REALLY feel you - not this sensation nonsense! If the rodent can REALLY deliver new bodies to us, I say let's go for it! Please?"

Jesse was thunderstruck. She could only mouth a few things, and gave a quick panicked look around the room.

"Perhaps I can offer one more incentive," Pikachu said. "A friend of mine in the League showed me how to do this..." He snapped his fingers, and they were all gone for a moment. Then…

Bright daylight overhead.

A quaint cottage in the woods.

A garden of flowers.

…AND NO BED! Jesse and James hit the ground.

"Sorry about that!" Pikachu grinned. "We've dimensionally jumped a level. We are now off the Prime Level by one full level."

Ash was a bit taken aback by the sudden scene change. "Pikachu, what are you talking about? Where are we?"

"To every reality, there are an infinite amount of alternate realities - such are the ways of the time-lines," the rodent explained. "As we travel our own time-line, others follow along, break off, or disappear. What I've done is taken us to one of these alternate realities..."

James stood up, helping Jesse to her feet as well. "So, just where ARE we?"

"Best you see for yourself," Pikachu said, beckoning the group towards the house. "Oh, and I've time-jumped us so that we don't disturb anyone."

They opened the door and entered the cottage. Charizard stayed outside, opting to peer in through a window.

The entry way was dark, or at least hard to see since they were all trying to adjust from the bright daylight behind them. Pikachu turned towards a doorway, peeked in, and then showed Jesse and James in.

"Oh... oh my!" Jesse said.

James made the sound of someone who had just lost his breath.

"Hey look!" blurted Meowth. "Jesse's in her PJs!"

Ash bent down and whispered into Meowth's ear "I suggest you look at what she's holding, cat!"

Meowth looked at the Twerp a second, then back at the Jesse in the room. His eyes began to water, and he turned pink from embarrassment.

"What is her name?" James whispered as if that was all the air he could muster.

"Rose," Pikachu said. "She was born about six months ago."

"I recognize this place..." James finally managed to say in full voice. "This is my parent's hunting cottage"

"Are we still members of Team Rocket here?" Jesse said, never taking her eyes off the infant in her counterpart's arms."

"Team Rocket doesn't exist in this dimension anymore. Seems your boss ordered you to abort the baby when it was found you were pregnant. James was fired and Jesse quit rather than submit to her Boss' orders. When the news of why you two had left Team Rocket, there was a general strike. Pretty much the entire membership abandoned Team Rocket after that..."

Pikachu snapped his fingers again, and they were all standing in the hallway outside the honeymoon suite.

"Okay, rat!" Jesse, still a bit shell-shocked, managed to say. "I'm in!"

James reached through the door - he'd forgotten the key again - and opened it. "Agreed," he said, "but first, you need to explain one thing..."

They all re-entered the honeymoon suite awaiting James' question.

"Just what IS a Lugia?"

Ash gave James a strange look. "You mean, after all we went through two years ago, you don't remember what a Lugia is?"

James returned the look. "Two years ago... err... two years?"

Jesse joined in. "Two years..."

"Da summer of... da summer of... hey!" Meowth said. "Is it me, or do either of you's NOT remember what happened two years ago?"

Pikachu look at the threesome with a puzzled look. "This is odd... You don't remember? It's one of the reasons why the Stratus League wants you so desperately... Let me check on something..."

Pikachu vanished.

Quiet music wafted around the room... The type you'd hear in a doctor's waiting room... It bothered Ash.

Pikachu reappeared, but he brought along someone. Ash knew this person quite well. She had changed only slightly, but was much nicer looking now than the last time he had seen her in battle.

"Sabrina!" he smiled. "Long time no see!"

"Ash! I'm so glad to see you again. I hope you're feeling better," Sabrina gleefully said.

Gleefully... That's not Sabrina's style at all thought Ash.

"I beg to differ, Ash Ketchum!" Sabrina playfully scolded him then added a coy wink. "I can thank you for that!"

"Oh god!" Jesse said. "Another person helped by the Twerp?"

"Yes!" Sabrina said mocking Jesse's comment. "If he didn't set me straight with that Haunter he dropped on me, I would still be a zombie to my own powers!"

"What do you mean? What can she do for us?" James asked.

"She's the most powerful psychic in the world, James," Pikachu answered. "She once had been consumed by her powers. But Ash beat her using a Haunter that I'm sure you remember..."

"HAWHAWHAW! Hi'ya James, old chum!" came from behind Sabrina. Then out came Haunter.

James suddenly lost all that chutzpah he had built up earlier. "Whoa! Didn't you say something about this Lugia thing having an army of Haunters coming?" he shrieked. Jesse, sitting on the edge of the bed, just placed her chin in her hand, elbow on her knee, and watched James bounce across the bed hysterically. Meowth just shook his head and looked at Sabrina - she was a darn better sight to look at than James was. Then he noticed something. It looked like a PokéBall with a halo over it.

"Miss Sabrina, what is dat on yer shoulder? Is dat a gym badge?"

Sabrina looked down at her shoulder then ran her hand across the logo. "No, this is the Stratus League emblem."

Ash looked shocked at her. "Sabrina! Are you dead?"

Pikachu rolled his eye. "Ash, the Stratus League only has a few spirits... and most of them are only visiting..." he said rather curtly.

"Besides," Charizard added, "I can smell her!"

"I'll have to note that..." Pikachu said, producing a notepad and scribbling down that blurb.

"JAMES!" yelled Jesse. Her mate finally stopped hopping and looked at her. "I don't think that THIS Haunter is here to eat your soul!"

"Yuck!" came from Haunter.

"So, Miss Sabrina," Jesse continued in a business-tone of voice, "just why do we have the honor of your visit?"

"I am here to find out why you three do not remember the Lugia situation that you were in two years ago."

"I remember it," Ash said. "I would have a hard time forgetting that!"

"It was in all the newspapers..." Pikachu added with a grin.

Sabrina shook her head at the mouse. "Correct," Sabrina continued to Ash's comment, "you would. And in some cases, the fact that Jesse and James seem to have forgotten could be explained as having been caused by their deaths. But Meowth here..."

"Oh gawd! I just knew you's were gonna bring me up in dis!" Meowth whimpered.

The green-haired psychic smiled at him. "Don't worry, this will not hurt at all!"

Meowth turned to see Sabrina right next to him, eyes glowing and fingers outstretched.

"AWWK! AHH! SHE'S GONNA GIVE ME DA VULCAN DEATH GRIP! HELP! JESSE! JAMES!"

"Mind meld, Meowth! Mind meld! There's no such thing as a Vulcan Death Grip! Don't you know your Trek Trivia?" James quipped from behind the bed. Jesse looked at him unimpressed.

"YAAAAAA!"

"Quiet Meowth!" rang in his head. It had not be spoken, but the unmistakable voice of Sabrina had just bounced across Meowth's cranium like a pinball. "We will begin to back-track... NOW!"

Meowth saw an incredible sight. Days ran backwards, one after another, faster and faster. The strobing effect was getting a bit painful to take.

"Oh! What is wit all dis blinking?" he said in his mind.

"It can't be helped," was the answer he got from Sabrina's voice within him. "The blackness is when you blinked, slept - OOH- got knocked out... WHOA! You did a lot of flying, didn't you?"

Meowth didn't quite know what she was talking about until he concentrated on the images. Flying... flying... Ah! Those were...

...Those were times when Team Rocket blasted off. Geeze, they should have gotten frequent flyer miles!

"Hey, wait lady!" Meowth yelped in his head. "We've gone back too far!"

"I still sense no remembrance of Lugia... wait..."

The back-wind came to a sudden halt. In the real world, Meowth jerked sideways as if the momentum of stopping threw him towards Ash. Ash attempted to stop the cat Pokémon from falling, but as he tried to touched him, a flash of what was going on in Meowth's head surged through him, and he too was thrown across the room.

"Wow!" Ash said to Pikachu, who had come over to help his friend. "You do NOT want to go in there!"

"Where are we..." Sabrina queried herself.

"AHH!" yelped Meowth. "At about 10,000 feet hangin' onto Lugia!"

Meowth this time spoke out loud. Jesse leaned over to watch. James peered over her shoulder.

Sabrina reached over with her right arm and contacted Jesse. Suddenly both she and James were with Meowth reliving a rather traumatic experience. Lugia had just flown Ash and Pikachu away from an attack, and they were hanging onto his right leg... But an attack from what they wondered?

A beam shot past Jesse. Flames singed at James' back. Lightning jumped across Meowth's feet. The scene was from Meowth's point of view, which meant he kept his eyes shut most of the time, but when he did look out, he saw...

MOLTRES!

ZAPDOS!

The Legendary Birds of Fire and Lightning were trying to down the god-bird of the waters! And they were riding Lugia along with the Twerp! From high above, they glanced to see far below the crashed form of Articuno resting in a crater.

"I remember now!" cried Jesse. "Some idiot was trying to capture the Legendary Birds!"

James continued, "And, in bringing them together, he would cause Lugia to emerge so that he could capture it as well!"

"Not as well, James," Sabrina said, "this was his true objective! To capture the rarest of Pokémon, the Water God!"

"Hey, is it me, or is dis water boid bein' friendly wit us?" Meowth interrupted.

"Err..." James commented, "if anything, we seem to be helping IT- err - what are we doing now- Oh tell me we didn't just do something NOBLE?"

Team Rocket, seeing that they were only weighing Lugia down, let go.

Granted, they were flying over the ocean... But Articuno had earlier turned it into a solid sheet of ice!

"OHHHHH! WE'RE GONNA SPLATTER!" shrieked James and Jesse. Ash looked at them perplexed.

"Guys, you didn't die then, remember?" Ash told them.

"You know," Jesse said, "he's right!"

"So how did we get out of this?" James asked, but then turned rather angry. "Meowth! You closed your eyes again!"

"Hey! We're plungin' 10,000 feet to a sea of ice!" the cat yelped. "Do's you's tink I wanna see dis!"

Suddenly they found themselves under water. As they surfaced they saw hundreds on Pokémon surrounding a hole in the ice that they had just broke open for them! For THEM!

"I suddenly feel warn and cuddly! Not bad fer someone who's cold an' wet!" Meowth said happily.

"It's only in your mind, Meowth!" Sabrina said to them. "This isn't when you lost your memories... Let's move foreword a bit..."

Jesse and James were suddenly in on the ride that Meowth had been through earlier. A roller-coaster would have been more fun right then.

"Wait! What's that?" Sabrina said. The images backed up. A long period of blackness ran by, then a flash of something red... then a view of Jesse and James walking backwards from a dark building... but where... The image stopped a few seconds later. The scene - Jesse and James in their...

"Oh gawd," Meowth said. "It's dat Jeep Cherokee!"

James snarled. "I never wanted to see that vehicle again!"

"I'm sorry," Sabrina said in the mist. "I feel you have bad memories of this automobile... but these memories must be seen... Play..."

"We're here," said the Jesse in the memory playback.

"The Pokémon Center of Troika City. The boss sure knows how to pick them!" memory James said.

"Hey, if it weren't fer da Troika Science Institute, da boss probably wouldn't want any of dees Pokémon anyways!" Meowth said out loud. Ash wondered what he was talking about. "Let's go!"

The view shifted and bounced as Meowth jumped out of the Jeep. Jesse and James were holding onto the bed best they could as the ride continued.

In the playback, Jesse was carrying a strange device. It beeped and tweeted.

"The scanner shows many high-energy Pokémon within this building!" she smugly announced. "Tech Lab 1 has done its work again!"

"Let's not disappoint the boss then! After you, my dear Jesse!"

"Why, thank you, my dear James!"

"You called me dear!" James on the bed said, grinning from ear to ear. Ash was really confused now, but decided that the show he was getting was still worth it.

"This is odd..." the memory of Jesse said. "Now it's saying the energy is out here with us!"

James came over and looked at the scanner. "Look, it says it's above us!"

"Yer startin' ta spook me guys!" Meowth said to the memories. "Let's just get in dis building an' get dis job done!"

Jesse gave Meowth a look. Usually, a comment like Meowth had said would have been rebuked by her, but she seemed to agree for once. "Meowth's right... Let's get in... HUH!"

From the angle of Meowth's point of view, things were obviously afoot. Jesse's famous swirl of red hair had just exploded into a mass of spiky red fur. She looked like she was wearing a grotesque lion's mane that stuck out in a 6 foot circumference. James had been swatted by the raging red hair of his partner, but now he too was living with an incredible case of bad hair - His just didn't stick out as far.

"Hey! Lookit dat! James DOES have ears!" Meowth said, trying his best to lighten up the situation.

An angry James was about to strike Meowth, but suddenly a streak of red shot through the view, flinging James back and out of sight. Jesse, who had watched James get struck, never saw the red streak that took her down with him.

Meowth hit the ground. He looked up in time to see a red streak pass over his head. He got up and ran for the building. He began pounding on the nearest door he could find. "LEM'ME IN! LEM'ME IN!" he cried to the locked entrance. He spun around and looked back into the parking lot. He saw the two prone bodies of Jesse and James. Red glows could be seen over their heads. Meowth had seen enough.

"FURY SWIPES!" he yelled. Two streaks of his claws and the bottom of the door fell apart. Sometimes, adrenaline does wondrous things.

Meowth climbed through the hole he had made. But when he looked up, he saw it again. But this time, it wasn't streaking by. It was floating over his head. Two fiery eyes burned down on him.

Sabrina gasped. It was a horrible sight. Ash and Pikachu came over to her not knowing what they could do to help.

"I sure wished I knew what they were seeing..." Ash commented.

"Just touch Sabrina," said Pikachu. "Don't touch Meowth, you'll get knocked across the room again! Huh?"

Ash noticed Pikachu's comment and watched his gaze. He looked over and saw a claw reaching over and touching Sabrina's forehead. He then followed it back to its owner. Charizard was looking quite angry at that moment. "Humph!" was all he said.

Ash touched Sabrina on the arm. Pikachu touched her on the leg.

Instantly, they saw the vision of a blood red Haunter - large, menacing, coldly evil... Ash shivered. He then felt something. It was Sabrina's arm. She was moving it up and down.

"Everyone, break away!" she yelled. "This might be a memory, but that Haunter could still affect you!"

Pikachu released. Looking up, he saw Ash and Charizard still touching Sabrina. With a slight flick of his palm, an energy wave pushed Ash and Charizard aside.

Inside the playback, Sabrina fought to keep the image from dominating her. She slowly advanced the image as the Haunter drew closer, and more menacing. Then, with a slight tweak of the time-line, she jumped into the blackness that was the next memory, much to the relief of Team Rocket.

"Is it gone?" Meowth grimaced.

"It's done what it was sent to do," Sabrina said. "Let's see where it left you..."

The blackness ran past. Suddenly, the view returned with Meowth being shaken awake by Jesse.

"Meowth! How did you do this to this door?" she was saying to him.

Sabrina broke away. The answer had been given to her.

Everyone cleared their heads. James fell face first into the bed. Jesse fell over him. Meowth just fell.

"What was that Haunter, Sabrina?" Ash asked. "I've never seen one like that!"

"It's not one from this dimension," she said rubbing her head and clearing the cob-webs. "And that would explain why we're in such a predicament!"

"What do you mean?" Pikachu asked, worried that the situation was about to get much more serious.

Sabrina lowered her head and glared at the floor. "It's not our Lugia that's coming! That Haunter was from an advanced wave. It was sent ahead to clear away any possible obstructions... specifically you three."

"Ohh, but why us?" groggy Jesse asked. "Why not the Twerp?"

"He's not a spirit," answered Pikachu. "Remember, Haunters can time-jump just like we can. They'd know that you would be in this form when this Lugia arrived."

James got up. There before him was Sabrina's Haunter.

"I - don't - like - you!" James snarled.

"You've looked better!" it sniped back, then slid behind Sabrina to avoid being swatted by James.

Pikachu stood in the middle of the room, surveying the bodies strewn about. "So, what is your answer again, Team Rocket? What should I tell the Stratus League?"

Jesse stood up. "NO ONE violates me like that Haunter did! I'm with you!"

"Same here!" James added.

"Meowth! That's Right!" Meowth said from his backside, still prone on the floor where he landed.

"Right! I need to report back to the League," Pikachu said. "Report to me tomorrow morning at 6:00 am at the Lavender Tower in Lavender Town! See ya!" He blinked out.

"Tomorrow then!" Ash said. "Let's go Charizard!"

"Tell me, Mr. Ketchum," Jesse said to the departing Ash, "how does it feel not being the master here?"

"It may not have occurred to you before, Jesse," Ash said as he climbed aboard Charizard, "but Pikachu was always a master... He just let me tag along... Need a ride Sabrina?"

"Thank you Ash. I do!" Sabrina said as she climbed up behind him, and the threesome took off leaving Team Rocket to mull over what had just become of their 'lives' so to speak.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next few days were filled with tests and lessons. Pikachu seemed to be a scholar of all things spirits and ghosts. He put Jesse and James through trans-dimensional regression tests, time-hopping, phase-shifting, warp effects, and the now dreaded Tower Chase that James had been going through with Sabrina's Haunter. And even though she was barking nasty epithets at her husband, Jesse hadn't faired any better than he had when it came to avoiding that particular ghost.

Professors Oak and Bill had joined in on the testing because they thought they may have a way to combat the Haunters that this Lugia was sending their way. The GassyBall was designed specifically for gaseous Pokémon. But it still needed approval before they could construct more than the prototypes. And Sabrina's Haunter wasn't being a cooperative victim.

"Remember James, don't throw that ball! Just point it at Haunter!" Bill radioed.

"That's one of its problems, Doc!" James radioed back. "Not being able to throw it limits its range! Haunter's on me before I can do anything about it!"

"Well, throwing it just breaks off the capture horn!"

"Couldn't you design one without this silly horn?"

"Without the horn, it becomes just a simple PokéBall! Ghost Pokémon are hard to catch because they can escape the transfer beam a PokéBall emits. The horn is needed to draw them in quicker!"

James seemed unimpressed. "Ummmm, if you say so Doc!"

Pikachu picked up on another headset. "Okay, James. Remember what I told you about your form. If you are a spirit, you can FEEL other spirits! Feel for Haunter! Sense where he is! Know where he's coming from!"

"Hummmm! Hummmm! Hummmm!"

Jesse looked at the speaker. "What's he doing?" she asked out loud.

"James is sensing!" Pikachu said. He was concentrating on what the former Rocket was doing with his eye shut.

"It sounds like he's humming to himself!" she quipped.

"It doesn't matter! Humming calms him," he reassured her. "A calm spirit can sense better! He's doing fine!"

Jesse shook her head. "If you say so fuzzball!"

"There!" came over the intercom. Then there was the sound of something mechanical working hard.

"AAAAAASTLY!" was the next thing they heard. Something went 'thwack' - then 'thud' - then chimed.

Then there was the sound of James being swallowed by Haunter again.

A few moments later, James and Haunter entered the trailer, Haunter still over James' head. James threw the GassyBall to Bill, while Jesse yanked Haunter off James.

"There! Your ball works!" he said to Bill.

"Works? But Haunter got you again!" Bill said.

James straightened his messed up hair. "Yup! But I sensed a Gastly first, and that's what got caught!"

"Oh, very well done!" said Bill. "Let's see if it really worked!"

Bill removed the horn, and tossed the ball. It popped open, and out came the Gastly. But it didn't look at all well.

"Gassss..." it said then it faded out.

"Err... oops!" Bill said. That was not what he was looking to do!

"You 'killed' a Gastly? I thought you couldn't kill a ghost Pokémon!" Pikachu said, more than a bit miffed. "If that had been Haunter here, we'd be short a vital member of our group! As it is, I think Ash and I KNEW that Gastly!"

Bill fumbled with the open ball. "I'm sorry, PK... It's the pressure. The containment system compressed it too much. I don't know what to do to prevent this!"

"Try making the ball larger," Pikachu said. "A larger ball would require less pressure."

Bill scratched his head. "I'll try... but it didn't do that in the static tests we did with Haunter. I need to run some tests on the information I download from the ball's data-tracks."

"Speed, Doctor! Speed!" PK urged. "We may need to move out sooner than planned."

"Lugia is coming in thirty days you said," Ash said.

"Yes, but we may be able to intercept it before it gets to this level. I'm waiting for reports on where it is and what it's doing. Until then, we practice."

"The little yellow drill sergeant said practice, we practice!" James said gathering up a scenario schedule. He them headed back towards the tower. Jesse watched, almost impressed.

No. She really was impressed.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Starscream ©2000, 03, 05, 07 Hasbro, Inc./Takara, Co.  
"Star Trek" ©2000, 03, 05, 07 Paramount Pictures

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0501.31 – 0706.20


	7. Parallel Lives

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Seven**

**Parallel Lives**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott_**

Jesse had 'had it.'

It had come to everyone's surprise, especially James and Meowth. No one had expected the results of the latest test.

Of course, no one had told Jesse or James just what they were up to. This was one of their surprise tests, to see just how they would respond to an emergency.

Both Jesse and James were in the tower, moving towards the ghost Pokémon's lair. They had been told that they were to try and sense the ghosts, and to report their findings.

Professor Oak and Bill had Meowth station himself in the tower's staircase just below the lair. To him, this was going to be a bit of fun!

Jesse and James turned the corner below the doorway to the lair. This was Meowth's cue.

"Emergency Haunter warnin'!" he yelled as he jumped out of the shadows. "A Haunter - class 90 is about ta get you's from behind!"

Meowth had taken both of them by total surprise. James shrieked and nearly jumped into Jesse's arms. Jesse, who had been paying attention to Meowth's yell, held her husband back and looked behind her.

"Da Haunter is going ta do a Soul Eater attack! What do ya's do!" Meowth continued to yell.

From out of the wall across from Jesse and James appeared a red Haunter. It wasn't a projection, it wasn't a fake – it was a REAL red Haunter! They could 'feel' it as it slowly approached them. The two Rocketeers both started to slowly back away from the apparition. They had not seen this red Haunter before 'live'. The last one they had been witness to had been in the replay of their blocked memories – which was the reason why they didn't know what a Lugia was. Red Haunters had been sent to delete those memories. Now they had one right in front of them, and they were petrified.

Just what Oak and Bill had expected.

Bill keyed his mic. "Okay Meowth! NOW!"

"Right!" the cat Pokémon said, and he pulled out two PokéBalls. "Emergency Escape Plan A-4!"

Jesse managed to snap-to enough to recognize just what Meowth had said. E-E-A-4!

She was just about to turn towards Meowth when it hit her - A hot red beam of light, searing into her. Her entire form tingled. She felt as if she were being drawn into a pit. Suddenly she was seeing memories flashing before herself - Vivid colorful memories. Some were pleasant. Some were not. But all seemed to be drawn, reduced, and extruded into a mass of red energy. Had the Haunter actually attacked? Was she seeing her soul being removed?

Suddenly, Jesse found herself in a cramped round room. A black band ran around the center of it. Six 'windows' were above this band. The 'roof' was red. The 'floor' was white. Light seemed to come from no specific place. As a matter of fact, there didn't seem to be any light emitting devices, so technically, she shouldn't be able to see anything.

But Jesse knew exactly where she was. She had seen it before in the palm of her hand. Fear swept through her. To her, the sphere was beginning to close in on her. Panic welled. Sweat poured. Her heartbeat... a HEARTBEAT! She hadn't felt a heartbeat since becoming a spirit! But right now, she wished it were anything else. It was hammering her. The pounding got more intense, and now was banging inside her head. Louder - Louder - Bursting!

Oak and Bill were surprised to hear anything but success from Meowth. What they heard was more a scream of terror and pain. A quick glance at one another was quickly replaced by running feet. Pikachu Ketchum had just returned from yet another meeting of the Stratus League and was spun about by the departing scientists.

"Now what?" he mumbled as he joined them racing out of the trailer.

Just outside the tower's entrance were Sabrina and Ash. Both were looking into the stairwell with concern. They turned to the approaching group.

"I told you not to do this!" Sabrina scolded the Professors.

"What? What?" barked PK. "What's going on?"

"Testing E-E-A-4," Ash said.

"Oh no!" PK moaned as he felt around in his mind for any signs of the two Rockets.

"We needed to test it!" Bill said in defense. "If it didn't work, we stood the chance of loosing them in the first wave! And YOU," he added, angrily pointing at Sabrina, "refused to tell me WHY we shouldn't do this test!"

"Professor, I treat those who I have had mental contact with the same respect that a doctor would have with a patient. The matter is... WAS PRIVATE!" Sabrina's eye flashed her anger at the Professor, but just in case anything had been in that burst of energy, PK had placed a barrier between them. As it was it wasn't needed, and Sabrina was a bit surprised to find it there in the first place. The scowl on the Pikachu's face gave her reason to calm down.

A hoot and howl came from the tower. The Haunter came bursting out of the wall towards Sabrina.

"It's RED!" PK yelped, surprised by the vision.

"My doing," Sabrina said, moving her hands in a sweeping motion. The Haunter changed back into its deep purple color.

"She's lost ALL control!" the Haunter yelled. "Humm, that sounds like a song..."

"Haunter, what's going on in there," Ash demanded.

"I think it's called a tornado!" it replied.

"What?" was all Ash got out before a high window blew out, spewing smoke, dust, Meowth and the two PokéBalls.

"Banshee!" Sabrina yelled. She was about to attempt to rescue Meowth when she saw PK airborne catching the unconscious cat. Ash was doing his best outfielder imitation, catching the two line drive PokéBalls.

One of the balls was dancing about in his hands - he was really having trouble with it. He quickly tossed the resting ball to Professor Oak, while trying to get a handle on the pixilated one. Finally, he managed to hit the release button.

"Hang onto something, folks!" yelled Ash as he tossed the ball, and grabbed a tree.

The ball popped open, and out came the Banshee in full wail. PK retreated with his bundle to a window sill on the tower. The Professors cowered behind Sabrina, who was using a psychic shield to protect them and herself. Ash hung onto the tree, feeling it shift slightly.

Finally, Jesse exhausted herself. She collapsed to her knees, then to her back, out cold to the world.

"Professor, when Sabrina says that something should NOT be done, I would LISTEN TO HER!" yelled PK from the window sill.

"But, what happened?" Bill said meekly from behind Oak. "It was simply a PokéBall!"

Sabrina turned and looked down at the Professors, who were still cowering behind her. "Claustrophobia!" she said then walked over to Jesse. She raised a finger, and the spirit body of the ex-Rocket floated off the ground. She then walked her to the trailer, where she placed her on a cot, reinforced by a psychic field to prevent the spirit from falling through it.

It had been a rough and nasty couple of days for the training crews. Starting with the GassyBall incident earlier in the week, where they NEARLY, as it turned out, 'killed' a resident of the tower. The results prevented the Pokémon League and the SPCP from licensing the manufacturing of the balls for the time being. Modifications were in the works, but Bill wasn't sure whether it would be ready in time for Lugia's coming. Then a series of troubling errors cropped up, mostly around Jesse and her rather abrupt way of attacking a situation. She was having trouble listening to the Professors' orders. She was getting miffed, and they were getting riled. This probably helped making the final decision to go ahead with the E-E-A-4 test - literally having a PokéBall store the spirits, whether they wanted to go into one or not.

Sabrina stayed by Jesse's side for the afternoon. It wasn't until Ash noticed roughly three or four hours after the incident, that no one had let James out of his ball. When released, the snoring Rocket nearly deafened everyone. Sabrina moved him to another cot in another room then returned to Jesse.

Meowth had finally awakened. He was a bit bruised and beat, but nothing he hadn't been through before. He was just getting too old to be tossed about like that!

Jesse had settled into a peaceful state. Deep within her memories, she stayed with what she felt was her best kept memory - A house - A rocking chair - and two silhouetted figures, slowly rocking back and forth, all bathed in a peaceful yellow light.

She leaned against a wall, quietly watching the scene. Sabrina had joined her. She was leaning against the other wall across from her, also watching the pair. She smiled.

"A good choice to relax with," she said to Jesse.

"More than a good choice," Jesse said. "I want this!" She looked over at Sabrina, who was giving her an examining look. "I mean it! And I'll go through hell and high water to get it!"

"I'm sorry for the Professor's persistence on the E-E-A-4 test. I should have told them about your claustrophobia..."

Jesse shook her head. "No, we would have needed to do it anyway. I just wished that they'd listen to me more. You know, I think they think I don't really know what I'm doing most of the time... Probably because of my Team Rocket background..."

"Well, that's probably true... You do leave a rather dubious worry within their minds..."

Jesse looked at Sabrina. "You've read their minds?"

"Not as such..." Sabrina said. "I try not to enter anyone's thoughts unless I am allowed to. But I still sense their feelings. Those are very hard to hide."

"Humph!" Jesse half laughed. "And these two are supposed to be the best of the best when it comes to Pokémon, humm? Well, maybe they are, but I sure could teach them a few things!"

"Such as?"

"Well, look at what we've been doing lately... GassyBalls, Electro-Psychic Paralysis Fields, Trans-Dimensional Phase Shifts... do you know how many of these have been worked on by Team Rocket? Tech Lab 1 alone... what?"

Sabrina blinked. She looked at Jesse with a surprised awe.

"Jesse, that's it! That's the answer!"

"What is?" Jesse said looking confused at Sabrina.

"Team Rocket! Jesse, you're a genius!" Sabrina faded out, saying "Excuse me!"

Jesse shrugged, and continued to watch the peaceful scene.

But then the light changed. It turned from the golden yellow to a blood red.

Meowth was looking extremely bored. He was barely awake when Ash came up to him. "Any changes?" the Twerp asked.

"Naa," Meowth answered. "Dey'r still zonked out. An' old spooky lady there still has dem glowin' eyes turned on! Dat's gotta hoit after awhile, I would tink!"

Suddenly, Sabrina was awake from her trance. "Ash! Jesse's come up with an idea! Come on!" she said, taking Ash by the arm, half dragging him along. Meowth, bemused by Sabrina's towing of the Twerp and the fact that watching a prone spirit was about as much fun as watching paint peel, followed along.

PK's ears jumped. He sensed something. He quickly got up and headed for Jesse.

Jesse sat up. The sight of the red light frightened her. But why? The vision she had chosen was a memory... right? Right?

Oh god, no it wasn't.

Jesse stood, crossed her arms, knitted her brow in thought, and vanished in a blink of kinetic energy. PK had seen the last millisecond of her departure, and quickly followed.

This wasn't like the time the Pikachu had taken the group to the house in Jesse's thoughts. They had simply gone from the honeymoon suite to the outside of the house in the woods. But here she was floating in a yellow space. This was a void of nothing. Well, not totally nothing. A rodent had joined her.

"And just where do you think you're going?" PK asked.

"This is not your problem, rat!" she growled.

"You'd better MAKE it my problem! You're stuck in the Trans-Dimensional Barrier Zone! You're libel to get run over in here without knowing it!"

Jesse sadly had to agree with that bit of information. "I felt..." she said, nearly sobbing, "...I felt... Pikachu, there's something wrong with my other self!"

"Other self?" He looked about trying to sense what Jesse had seen. "You mean the one I took you to with the baby?"

Jesse nodded yes.

PK looked 'down' and stared hard. "No... no, they're fine. Living in the woods, all is well there."

"But... but I saw..."

"What you saw could be any NUMBER of dimensional levels! There are many themes and variations running within the time-lines. And right now you're stuck between them. Give me your hand."

Jesse wasn't ready for that. She had never actually touched Pikachu's hand before - the rest of him, sure - usually stuffing him into an electric-proof bell jar or such. Tentatively she reached out and touched the mouse's paw.

PK concentrated hard.

"Ah! You were in the house six point four levels below us now! And you're right... something IS going on there. Let's check it out!"

Jesse nodded in agreement and followed PK's lead.

"Okay, since we're here in the TDBZ, we're in a sort of 'Manual Control' zone," he explained. "We literally have to measure our movements to get where we need to go."

"So, where do we go?" Jesse queried.

"Just about... so!" PK said, tugging at Jesse's hand enough to drag her along with him. "Okay... now think of the house!"

"Okay," she said, once again knitting her forehead and concentrating.

A baby's wail.

A gasp of breath.

A sudden realization that this wasn't Kansas anymore, Toto!

Jesse opened her eyes and saw Jesse. She was holding the baby from her dreams. But, unlike her dreams, this Jesse was SEEING her! AND PK!

"Where did YOU come from?" the mother said in shocked worry and surprise. She had obviously been looking out the bay window in front of them, trying to figure why the light had turned so red. "Are you Team Rocket?"

"We're the cavalry, ma'am!" Pikachu said, giving a slight salute.

"But... but... You're ME!" the mother stammered. "And you're Ash's Pikachu! But you're SPEAKING! And what's with the eye-patch?"

"No time to answer! Come on!" PK yelped, pulling his Jesse along.

"She called him Ash! Not Twerp or something!" Jesse muttered.

"Twerp is a registered trademark to our dimension, Jesse!" PK grunted as they headed for the front door. "The dimensions don't always correspond with one another!"

"Yea, but she almost sounded like she liked the Twerp!"

Jesse found herself being spun quickly to face PK, who was now hovering point-blank at her face. "We - need - that - Twerp! Work with it!" he sneered. "Come on!"

PK, his Jesse and the Jesse and baby from that level exited the house and stood on the porch. What they saw chilled them to the core.

The sky was crimson- A crimson made of Red Haunters, Gengars and Gastlys. Flight after flight, wave after wave they flew by. And in the middle of the horde was a massive flying creature. It was a deep dark blue with gray highlights around its eyes and belly.

"By Zapdos' bolts!" PK whispered. "Lugia!"

Jesse stared at the creature. It was huge! It was massive. It was immense. It was wrong.

"Wait a minute, Pikachu! What's with its colors?" she said.

"What do you mean?" the mouse asked.

"Remember, I just had my memories returned to me! Lugia should be gray! What's with THIS Lugia!"

"You hit the nail on the head right there, Jesse! It's not OUR Lugia that's coming! I told you that before! It's an EVIL Lugia from another dimension!"

"Black Lugia!" Jesse gasped. "And it's attacking this dimension first?"

Before PK could answer, the other Jesse yelled, "JAMES!"

Running up the hill was James and Meowth, followed by Arbok, Weezing and a Growlith. Further behind was a massive throng of Haunters descending on them.

"Get inside!" yelled PK.

"But, James!" the mother Jesse cried. As she did, the wave of Haunters overtook him and the rest that had run with him in his final moments.

"We're out of here!" PK said as they dragged the hysterical mother and child back into the house.

"What about her?" Jesse yelled over the crying. Her answer came in a flash of white light. PK, the mother Jesse, and the baby vanished. She was in the house alone.

SHE WAS IN THE HOUSE ALONE WITH A GAGGLE OF RED HAUNTERS COMING STRAIGHT FOR HER!

She knitted her brow once again, thought of where she wanted to go, and went, just as the house blasted into splinters around her.

Jesse expected a mess, but not this type. She was back in the house. But all was turned over, junked, wrecked. A struggle had occurred. But why?

Obviously, she thought to herself, she had once again missed her targeted landing zone. But, what gives here?

A rustling behind her caught her attention. The kitchen was back that way.

There, from the doorway, she saw herself. Bound, gagged and trusted up like a Christmas goose! What was going on here!

Heavy steps were coming towards the house from outside. Jesse made sure she was invisible to the coming body.

James entered the front door carrying a badly bloodied Meowth. He placed him on the sofa then headed for the kitchen, passing right through Jesse. Well, at least it was James this time!

James saw the tied body of his Jesse on the floor, and leapt to her side.

"Jesse!" James called to her.

A groan came from her. Spirit Jesse's blood was beginning to boil. She went over to Meowth. He was torn to shreds. And the spirit knew just how.

She heard James say from the kitchen, "Jesse, what happened... where's Rose... are you okay?"

The weak answer Jesse heard caused her to nearly erupt in hatred.

"Team... Rocket..."

Jesse looked into the kitchen. James and his Jesse were clutching each other sobbing.

Then, they were still.

"Hey!" came a small voice from behind her.

"What happened here Pikachu?" Jesse snarled.

"You just witnessed yet another dimensional variance," the yellow electric mouse said. "In this universe, Team Rocket came and took the baby away to keep this Jesse and James quiet about Rocket activities. Granted, they probably would have never said anything about Team Rocket, but your father wasn't going to take any chances. Plus, the fact that he didn't believe you two were competent parents for his only grandchild..."

Jesse was starting to turn beet red.

"The story gets better! I've counted two or three universes where this scenario plays out to this point. But this is where they all diverge. In this particular universe, your father's bosses weren't very happy with his appropriation of THEIR granddaughter as well."

Jesse though a moment. Then her eyes turned to beads. She slowly looked down at PK.

The rodent scratched the side of his head. "Well, why do you think, when you first met them, they gave you a version of the Team Rocket motto?"

"James' parents?"

"THE founders of Team Rocket - in this dimension at least. The Sakaki's created it on our level... you see, there's almost infinite variations."

Jesse went from fury to feeble in a matter of seconds. Normally, transitions like that would cause something to crack. In Jesse, it caused only questions.

"What about MY universe? What about James' parents there?"

PK crossed his arms and shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe, you should ask your father when we get back there, hmm? Besides, we have a pair of visitors that need some care..."

Jesse looked hard at the Pikachu. "You didn't!"

He shrugged. "What was I suppose to do, let them get wiped along with their planet? They're back at the base camp, waiting for our return."

Jesse cocked her head at the rodent. "Just how many Stratus League rules did you bend just now saving them?"

He dropped his head and kicked the ground. "There's a pile of messages waiting for me when we get back... SIGH!"

Jesse reached down, picked up PK, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you."

"T'wernt nothin', ma'am!" he saluted. "Com'on, let's get back. We now know where Lugia is - Black Lugia that is... And we've actually SEEN what he looks like. The advantage may have just moved a bit towards OUR SIDE!"

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0706.20


	8. Child out of Time

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Eight **

**Child out of Time **

**By R. A. Stott **

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft R. A. Stott_**

"Exeter to Forrestal - Exeter to Forrestal - Over..."

The captain watched her screen. The planet below them was dying, and there was little she or anyone else could do. But that wasn't her job anyway. Observation was the order of the day.

Her job was to watch over Armageddon. Scanners were recording, peering and witnessing the stripping of the planet. All life was being absorbed. From the largest Charizard, to the smallest bacteria, a wave of red descended on it and sucked it dry.

The captain's attention was currently on a screen which was relaying a signal from a satellite that they had positioned in orbit over the planet.. The view was a high shot of two large and one small Pokémon as they fought against a tide of Haunters, Gastlys and Gengars, all of whom were a morose red.

"Forrestal here... Go ahead Exeter," the com unit said.

The woman cleared her throat. "Forrestal, relay to the Stratus League please... Exeter on Level 6.4... Range 100,000 miles - stationary. Scanners show trans-dimensional phase variance subsiding... absorption of planetary life - eighty-five percent. Estimated time of next phase variance - twenty-four hours."

"Roger that Exeter... Will relay... What is the current status of Black Lugia?"

"Black Lugia and its first wave have been eliminating the stronger life forms on the planet. It would appear that it is currently attacking its possible final targets."

There was a brief momentary pause. "What targets?"

She looked at a screen beside her. "Black Lugia is attacking this world's Mew and a MewTwo."

"Captain! Captain!" a young lieutenant was calling from the scanning deck just below the Captain's Mount. "Scanner eighty-seven is showing incoming Pokémon towards site one!"

"Confirmed," the Captain's second in command said. "Four flying Pokémon inbound at two-seven-three mark four... Looks like the local Legendary Birds are about to join the fray."

"This could get nasty, Mandy," the Captain of the United Nations Starship Exeter, Caroline Edwards told her Number One. "Is this planet's Lugia one of the four?"

"Affirmative," Mandy Anderson said. "Just a second... Caroline, someone is RIDING this Lugia!"

Captain Edwards reached over and tweaked a switch on her control panel. Her screen switched to a readout of the scanner Commander Anderson was reading. A large Lugia appeared before her - in green.

"It would be nice if these Lugias we've been scanning would all have the same colors," she quipped.

"'Makes it easy figuring which one's which, though," Mandy replied. The captain could not deny that.

A slight adjustment made the scan swing around to show the Lugia's back. There, a young man and woman were riding the beast along with a Pikachu.

"Communications - inform Forrestal that we've found this planet's Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu - both still quite alive... Who's the girl?"

Mandy looked closely at the screen. "It's not Sabrina... This level doesn't have one."

"History!" the Captain barked into a communicator.

The Captain's third monitor came alive. The image of a Native American woman appeared. "Lt. Commander Whitehorse here."

"Topaz, punch up Scanner 87 please. Can you identify the girl riding the Lugia here?"

The LC could be seen working on her consoles trying to get readouts to comply with the Captain's request. She then gave a puzzled look.

"Captain, the girl does not register as having been cataloged in the history journals for this level, at least, not to the last forty-eight hours. The scanner is showing a residual chronal isotope within her."

"She's not native?" Caroline asked - her attention now locked on this girl riding Lugia.

"I am getting very strange readings on this person, Captain," the LC reported. "Particulates within her structure indicate that she is from this dimensional level, but chronal readings show that she is only recently arrived. I show a negative reading on her time-line."

Caroline now was fixated on this girl - This girl whose wafts of red hair were flying in the wind created by the giant water god's flight.

"She's jumped her time-line," the Captain remarked.

"Confirmed!" the second said. "Negative time-flow is shown."

"You know what that means," Edwards said grimly. "How did she get hold of one of our ships?"

Commander Anderson shook her head as she watched the girl on the monitor. "I don't know, Caroline - she doesn't show any signs of any powers - she's not a spirit and no psychic energies are present..."

"Whoa!" the voice of the Lieutenant came up again. "But she sure does have a huge pair of photon launchers!"

Caroline watched the girl raise a rifle-like device to her shoulder - a twin barrel photon grenade launcher!

"Is it one of ours?" she asked, almost not wanting to know.

The weapon's officer was flying over his controls. "It's got to be," he said. "They shouldn't have the technology to make one of those!"

The captain smirked. "Well someone does... Transmat?"

"Out of range," Mandy replied from her scanner, "and we wouldn't be able to lock onto anything moving that fast anyway..."

Caroline angrily looked at her monitor. Someone was messing with history, and someone in her crew might be responsible for it!

"Flight leader 1!" the Captain ordered into a com unit.

"Captain, wait!" the voice of the Lieutenant yelped again. "Psycho-Chronal energies just jumped in an area two point five-three-nine seconds ahead of the Lugia's flight path!"

Caroline examined the readout. "Well, it looks like we're about to get help after all."

"Lock a scanner to that location!" Mandy ordered the Scan Deck. "We'll need all data we can get!"

The green Lugia barreled along as a form appeared out of hyperspace. The woman was long and slender, her dark green hair snapped in the wind. Her piercing eyes locked on her subject with direct resolve.

With a quick leap, she flew a somersault over the oncoming Legendary Birds and snagged the red-haired girl off Lugia's back as she passed over.

"Aunt Sabrina, NOOOO!" the girl screamed. The Ash and Pikachu of that dimension could only watch as the two women vanished into another warp hole.

"Situation rectified, Captain," the Commander said.

"Very well," Caroline answered. "Continue recording. Communications - send a special notice along about this last... incident... Mark it 'Command priority - League decision on information release needed.'"

"Yes ma'am."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The base camp at Lavender Tower was starting to be overrun by visitors and new people. Only an hour prior, PK and Jesse had returned from some hyperspace jump with a rather distraught living version of the lady Rocket, along with her BABY! Shortly afterward, a strange aircraft of sorts landed nearby, and an odd fellow had got out. He was short - roughly four to five feet tall, and extremely fuzzy. He was in a uniform of sorts but it showed no signs of the Stratus League. The emblem on his shoulder was a stylized galaxy. His head... Ash had never seen a head like his before. It looked like a cross between a bear, a cat and a goat. The bear was in his ears, huge, round and furry. The cat was in the shape of the head, round and firm with forward facing eyes. The goat - his beard.

"What kind of Pokémon are you?" Ash had asked the stranger. "And what type of aircraft is THAT!"

"Sir," it growled, "I am NOT a Pokémon! I am a Tomassamassa! And THAT is a Scat Back..."

Well, it could speak - that was a positive sign!

"I am Elb Kinza, on temporary assignment with the Stratus League and the Starship Forrestal. I am here to see Sabrina and Pikachu Ketchum."

Before Ash could answer him, Sabrina had come bounding out of the main trailer. "Kinza! How are you? I'm so glad to see you!" Ash stood back as Sabrina gave the furry creature a hug.

After Kinza could breathe again, he said, "Look, we've got a problem..." He pulled out a small card-like device and nodded towards the aircraft.

"Ash," Sabrina said, understanding the officer's nod, "Kinza and I must discuss some things in private. Could you tell PK – err… Pikachu that Kinza is here and that he'd like to meet with him, please?"

"Umm, uh, sure," Ash said, noticing that this Kinza fellow was looking at him oddly, giving him a hard scrutinizing. As he headed for the trailer, he thought he heard him say something like 'That's Ash Ketchum? What do you see in him?' Before he entered the door, Ash looked back and saw Kinza insert the card into some sort of device which lit up - 'Some sort of readout I suppose' he thought to himself.

He found PK along with Jesse, Oak and Bill trying to settle the frayed nerves of the mother Jesse they now had in their midst. When he informed PK about the visitor, the Pikachu looked thankful for the relief, even if it meant possibly more trouble.

As they exited the trailer, much to Ash's surprised, Sabrina had changed. She was no longer in her League uni - She was in her Gym Leader's uniform! Ash had not seen her in that get-up since their last meeting - years ago, when they battled at her gym! When both she and he were still but children... But now…

Wow...

"Ash, close your mouth! Something might fly in!"

Ash hadn't noticed that he had been standing there with his mouth agape until that little jab given by PK. He swallowed hard. There was something this time about Sabrina.

Sabrina looked up. A blue glow surrounded her. She gave a slight leap into the air then blinked out with a flash.

Kinza, who had been standing by his aircraft, noticed the human standing next to PK. The mouth was open again and his eyes glazed looking for something that had just been there.

"Someone get me a fire hose," Kinza remarked. That comment restored some of Ash's senses, enough for him to stick his tongue out at the Tomassamassa. He laughed.

"I must talk with Kinza in private," the still slightly numb Ash heard. He nodded as PK headed over to the aircraft. Ash found an oil drum and sat on it, trying to collect his thoughts, scattered as they were.

"NOOOOO AUNT SABRINA! NO!"

_**POUUUU!**_

Ash still was assembling his thoughts without instructions when that new set of sounds were thrown at him from hyperspace. Above in the dark skies, two figures had just re-entered his reality, and one had just launched something. It was small, bright, and heading skyward.

"SLAG!" yelled Kinza. "DON'T LOOK AT IT! DON'T LOOK AT IT!"

"ASH!" yelled PK. "LOOK AWAY ASH! LOOK AWAY!"

'Whatever Pikachu says is law' quickly jumped through Ash's jumbled thoughts. He managed to look down just as the little orb made the night turn into high noon on Mercury. Colors first became vivid then washed out then none! Heat was striking the back of his neck. He felt the metal of the can he was sitting on warm. He could hear the trees around him shutter, then shake violently as a shockwave of heated air hit the ground around them. Oddly, there was little sound with the actual burst of light...

**_BARRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!_**

Until then.

Sabrina and the girl swiftly entered the base of Lavender Tower unseen.

"Alakazam!" the psychic woman ordered.

Her Pokémon appeared next to her. "Ma'am?"

"Inform the ghost Pokémon here I need privacy."

"Ma'am!" it said then disappeared.

Sabrina removed her hand from the girl's mouth and took the launcher from her hands.

"A-Aunt Sabrina... I - I can't see..." she said trembling.

Sabrina moved her hand over the girl's forehead and sensed what she could.

Optic damage... Corona burn... She had watched the photon charge burst - Her face shown signs of sun burn from the flash. This was bad.

"What was THAT?" Ash yelled almost in time with Oak and Bill as they came out of the trailer. Then Oak and Bill saw Kinza and the airship. Maybe they didn't want to know.

"That was a photon charge," Kinza explained, "a concentrated ball of light and energy. When used PROPERLY, it is the most powerful hand-held weapon known to the Federation and Observer Corps." He looked up at the glowing ember of what was left of the orb. "When used wrong, it's probably the most powerful flare imaginable!"

"What caused it?" Oak demanded. "Where did it come from?"

"I think Sabrina is taking care of that right now," PK said. "Right now, I suggest we find out if there were any injuries. A free-flight like that would have drawn a great deal of attention!"

"Ahh!" the girl said as Sabrina moved her hands across her face. The burns vanished. Then she concentrated on the girl's eyes. The flash haze faded showing the green pupils once again.

"Are you watching, Alakazam?" Sabrina said.

"Yes ma'am," the Pokémon said. Three others appeared behind it. They also chorused in "Yes ma'am!"

"I want you to go out into the local district. Find those like this girl who were affected by the flash..."

"All?" the leading Alakazam asked.

"All - human – Pokémon - all creatures. If they have been affected by this blindness, I want it fixed – just as I repaired her sight."

"Understood," the Alakazams chimed then vanished.

The girl stood back a step or two, her eye reacquainting themselves to sight. She blinked and looked at Sabrina.

"Aunt Sabrina!"

The gym leader blinked at her. "You've called me that several times now... Do I know you child?"

The girl looked hard at Sabrina. "Aunt Sabrina... You're... young!"

Sabrina nodded. "Ah, as I surmised. You are from the future."

"Aunt Sabrina... What? Where..."

Sabrina raised her hand. "Silence! Do not say anything more. I want you to listen, and listen only." The girl seemed to know Sabrina's powers but felt no pressure to keep quiet. She only nodded.

"Anything you may say could alter the future," she added, turning towards the doorway. PK entered.

"Is everything all right in here?" he asked.

Sabrina was holding her head after her exertion. "PK... Please, could you call a time-out?"

The Pikachu gave a quick glance between the two ladies and nodded. "Done."

"PK? Pikachu Ketchum?" the girl asked.

"Yeeees?" PK cautiously said.

The girl grabbed him and broke down sobbing. PK, attempting to catch his breath, looked up at Sabrina.

"Rose," the psychic said.

"What?" PK said, his ears sticking straight up.

The girl turned to look at Sabrina. "You do know me!"

"An educated guess," she answered. "Come with me."

The threesome exited the tower and headed for the trailer. Everyone that had been outside the buildings and trailers had departed, looking for possible casualties. The lone occupant of the courtyard was Kinza.

"What have you done PK?" Kinza grumbled as he waved a small video receiver about. "I was in the middle of contacting the League, when suddenly the nice lady com officer froze in place!"

"Sorry," PK said, still within the grasp of the girl. As she saw Kinza though, she quickly turned away. "Hey! Hey! Hey! I was talking to him!" the Pokémon complained.

Kinza looked at the girl. "So, this is our troublemaker? Do I know her?"

Sabrina put her hand up at Kinza as she had to the girl. "I suggest you don't ask any further..."

The matter was then driven home when the patch on Kinza's uniform announced "DO NOT ANSWER THAT, NOR ASK ANY QUESTIONS FURTHER ON THIS MATTER… TO DO SO WILL HARM THE FUTURE. SAM-System Unit 1."

"Okay, I get it. 'Natch," Kinza grunted as he slapped the patch to shut it up. "Get her out of here... I guess I'll meet her later!" Sabrina smiled and gave Kinza a wink. She tossed him the photon launcher and continued into the main trailer. Towards the back of the science stations, Jesse was standing looking at the stasis-stung mother and child. She turned to look at the trio entering the room.

"M-mother?" the girl said, then saw the other Jesse with the baby.

"Oh... oh my god... I'm... That's me! I'm AM in the past!"

Spirit Jesse looked at the girl. "Who is this?" she asked, confused.

The girl wiped away some tears. "M - my name is Rose. That's me being held by my... my..."

Sabrina placed her hand on Rose's shoulder. "Don't say any more. Like I said before, anything you say could alter the future."

"You are at the very moment when you came to us," PK said. He suddenly found himself being squeezed harder.

"I never had the chance to thank you..." the girl cried.

"Ah ah!" Sabrina said in a reminding way.

"Hey, no sweat," PK croaked through the tight squeeze. "We already know that I'm out of here as soon as this is over! ERK!" Suddenly, the girl was really squeezing hard, as well as sobbing heavily. That was it, he couldn't take much more. PK timed the girl out then moved out of her grip.

"Amazing that a ghost needs air!" Jesse quipped.

"YOU try that!" PK snapped back while gasping. "I felt like I was going to pop - I'd better release her!"

The girl's arms suddenly reached for nothing. She looked up to see PK in front of her.

"Hey, it was either here or pouf! Sorry!" he said with a shrug.

The girl reached over and stroked the Pikachu's cheek. "I'm sorry..."

"Hey, better being squeezed by a pretty thing like you than an Onyx!"

Jesse looked at the young woman before her and the distraught expression on the mother's face. "Please, you must tell me... does she adjust?"

PK and Sabrina gave Jesse a startled look. Of all the questions they though the former Rocket would have asked, the last was a question of concern for someone else - Even if that someone was a variant of herself. Rose looked up at Sabrina, who nodded.

"She... she has a hard time of it, but Mother does adjust, Aunt Jesse..."

Aunt Jesse?

"She's best when she doesn't see Uncle James, though..." she continued.

Jesse blinked. "I'll remember that..."

She smiled through the tears.

"I guess we could ask just what you were thinking you were going to accomplish by going back there, but that would change things... including just HOW you got back there in the first place!" PK said through the ear scratch she was giving him.

"Aunt Sabrina sent me... oops..." she blurted.

Everyone looked at Rose, then at Sabrina. "Well, there's a bit of news we didn't need to hear!" PK stated.

"Continue..." Sabrina said, looking down at the girl.

"Err, Sabrina..." PK urged.

"A theory," she answered him. "Continue..."

The girl nervously looked up at Sabrina. "I had told you that I was determined to go back and avenge my father's death on the evil Black Lugia. So, you sent me. Of course, you did say something about..."

"...It wouldn't work," Sabrina finished.

"Exactly," Rose said, her face looking at Sabrina in shocked realization.

"Temporal paradox," Sabrina said. "I know that I wouldn't allow the time-lines to be tampered with in such a matter."

"So you sent her back into the past knowing that she would fail..." PK surmised while scratching his chin.

"Correct," Sabrina said then returned her attention to Rose. "Because my older self would have known I came and stopped her. But I didn't directly transport you, did I?"

"Wha... How would you have known that?" Rose said, again rather shocked that Aunt Sabrina would know that.

"Simple. You currently exist off your time-line. This can only be done by two processes... A spirit or creature of great energy transports you, or a vehicle capable of a warp implosion... And by your reaction to Kinza, I would say his ship was used."

"You, err, borrowed it over his objections," Rose stated turning scarlet.

"It sounds like we've got a born Rocket here!" Aunt Jesse said, bending down to give the girl a calming hand to the back of her head and a kiss to the forehead. Then Jesse got a look on her face.

"Jesse," PK said without any reserve, "the last time I saw a look like that on you, you were trying to drop Ash and me into another hole!"

Jesse gave a slight laugh. "Right... No, I'm not about to 'prepare for trouble'! I was just thinking that we do now have the ultimate advantage here."

"Oh, I know where you're coming from, Jesse," the Pikachu said, "and we can't even go there!"

"But, she knows the future! She knows what happens! I mean, LOOK at her! Then look at that baby over there! Just THAT should tell us that she survives this Lugia's attack!"

Suddenly, Jesse had a crying child grasping at her. It sounded like she was saying something like 'loosing' and 'again' through her wailing. Jesse buried her into her chest, looking back and forth for help between Sabrina and PK.

"Without question, we must return her to her future," Sabrina said bluntly. Jesse frowned at her.

"She's right," PK added. Jesse gave him an evil look.

"You're both mad!" she growled.

"No, they're right..." Rose said, pulling away from Aunt Jesse's grasp. "I should have never done what I did. Aunt Sabrina was right."

Jesse looked down at Rose. 'All this Aunt Sabrinas and Aunt Jesses this Rose was giving out,' she thought to herself, 'did this mean that Sabrina and I would become friends?'

'Why not?' came the reply in her head. Jesse looked over at Sabrina, who smiled slightly and gave her a wink.

"Oh, all right!" Jesse gave in her best come-on voice. "But you remember, I offered - you refused! And don't forget to wash behind your ears!"

"I love you Aunt Jesse," the young teenager said, again hugging her. Jesse got a simple look of pleasure on her face that made PK nearly burst out laughing.

Kinza entered the room. This was the first time Jesse had seen the Tomassamassa. But at this point, with all that was going on, and the things she had been through in the last few hours, the POPE could walk through that door, and it wouldn't surprise her at all.

"Right! I'm ready. All I need is the body, and we'll be off!" Kinza said, seeing Jesse and Rose holding one another. He motioned to the others to one side.

"Listen," he whispered to Sabrina and PK, "I checked over that little popper of hers. We thought that it might turn out to be one of ours, but it's NOT!"

"Oh, I feel we may not want to know this..." PK whispered back. "Whose is it?"

"They labeled the weapon quite well," Kinza continued. "It says 'Silph Company - Property TRG-12.' TRG stands for Team Rocket Garrison. It's also known as the Golden R."

PK looked at the gun and at Kinza. "Golden R? Ah... That would explain much... The Stratus and the Golden R have worked together before... But a garrison? I'm gonna have to look at those history scans again Exeter and Forrestal are giving us..."

Kinza smirked. "That's not all I found."

"Maybe THIS is what we don't want to hear," Sabrina this time said.

"I checked the scans on our friend there... Yes, she's off her time-line, which means she hasn't aged in all that time she'd been off."

"That is one of the benefits of jumping one's time-line," PK stated with a nod.

"Yes, but you can still determine how long someone's been that way by taking a chronal-radiation scan - they get a build-up of chronal particles..."

"Why do I get he feeling you're about to drop something on us," PK grumbled.

Kinza nodded. "Chronal particles jumped off the scale. She's been this way for at least, err, I'd say a minimum of five to six years... maybe more."

"Yeesh!"

"Yea," Kinza said. "I'm surprised at how well she is though. When you're in this line-jumped mode, you need to return to your time-line at least once every two and a half years, otherwise you should show signs of mental breakdown. I don't know how she managed to go so long without a jump back to her own time-line, but wow!"

PK looked over at Rose. "Hey, she was about to take on the evil Lugia - That alone would put doubts in MY mind about her - err - capabilities!"

Rose stood up. She held onto Spirit Jesse's hands for a moment and just looked at her. She had a calm expression upon her face. She then walked over to the mother and baby. Rose looked at Rose.

"You be a good girl," she said to the infant then turned to the group. "Okay Kinza... Let's go..."

"Oh, just Kinza, ea? Not 'Uncle Kinza' ea?" the Tomassamassa quipped.

"Do you want to be 'Uncle Kinza'?" she chided back as she twirled a lock of his fur in her fingers. He laughed and showed her out the door.

The Scat Back was humming in preflight mode. PK had released the time-jump so Kinza wouldn't need to fly in 'dead air' as he put it.

Rose walked around to the back of the craft then looked over at the group standing at the doorway of the trailer. She thought for a moment.

"Aunt Jesse!" she yelled over the din of the warming engines.

"Yes?" the spirit called back.

"A little help... A little help from the future! Train with Aunt Sabrina! She will show you the way! She knows the way! The way to beat the Black Lugia! But only if you learn from her!"

Jesse looked over at Sabrina, who had a slight smile on her face. She was looking at the ground, but then, without moving her head, looked over at Jesse and winked.

Rose entered the ship and sat in the back jump seat. While Kinza was climbing into the pilot's seat, Ash cleared the edge of the forest next to the tower. Rose saw him and stared.

Ash saw the odd aircraft was getting ready to depart. But then he saw the girl in the ship's back seat and stopped. Did he know her? And why did she just blow him a kiss?

PK just stood there with his hand in his hips. "I'm going to have to get that kid an agent!"

"Why did she blow the Twerp a kiss?" Jesse asked to herself mostly, but she did say it out loud.

"When she was found, she was riding Lugia with that universe's Ash Ketchum..." Sabrina said. "Who knows how long they were together..." She and Pikachu went in to the trailer leaving Jesse alone on the steps to watch the departing craft. Jesse looked over at Ash, who was watching the ship's departure.

"Eww!" Jesse said quickly to herself then followed the other two.

Back in the rear of the trailer was a room set aside for Jesse and James to be alone together when needed. James had been put there once someone remembered that he had been inside an emergency escape PokéBall for almost three hours, and even then, he came out snoring.

Jesse entered the room. There she found James and Meowth stretched out with headphones on. Jesse wasn't fond of many of James' selections when it came to music, but she knew it had to at least be tolerable if Meowth was listening.

She reached over to the amplifier and unplugged the phone jacks, so that she too could hear the music.

A jazzy piano, a fast licking electric guitar, and a jumping instrumental suddenly filled the room and no longer the headphones of James and Meowth, who both opened their eyes and looked over at Jesse. She was actually enjoying it, a rarity when it came to James' choices.

"Hey, do yas' like it?" Meowth said. "James 'been listenin' to it all afternoon!"

Jesse looked at James, who was turning a bit red. "What, this album?"

"Naa! Just dis cut!" Meowth grinned. "Over an' over an' over again!"

"Meowth!" James hissed. He sheepishly looked up at Jesse as she sat down on the sofa he was stretched out on.

"Why?" she asked.

James was now quite red faced. "It's... it's one of my all time favorites... The Allman Brothers Band... it's called 'Jesse'..."

Jesse smiled at him and reached over and kissed him on the cheek, then rested her forehead against his.

"Actually, it's called 'Jessica'" Meowth started to say then said no more as Jesse timed out the cat.

"Listen," she began, "I need to ask you a question... and I need a straight answer." James took heed of Jesse's every word when she asked him that. "It's about your parents..."

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It looked as if the Black Lugia was larger than the native Lugia, but it still was a fair match. On the ground, MewTwo and Mew had managed to keep the waves of Haunters, Gastlys and Gengars at bay by combining forces. They would fire a psychic wave through the masses, dispersing their energies, and in many cases, destroying the attackers. These salvos seemed to affect the Black Lugia as well, as its power would dip each time the psychic wave would run through the ghost Pokémon. Or at least that was what Exeter was reading on her sensors.

But the Mew had been injured by one of the attacks and was not able to give all it could to the defense. MewTwo had been sending burst after burst into the ghosts now for six hours. It was all just a matter of time.

A wave of Haunters had swept over Zapdos as if it hadn't been there at all. Ash had watched in horror as the blackened carcass fell to the ground and simply exploded into dust. Articuno and Moltres both had managed to survive their initial bouts, Moltres coming out unscathed, while Articuno took some wing damage. Moltres was showing success with its Fire Spin attack, vaporizing many of the attacking ghosts. Articuno's Ice Beams were not as effective, but its Ice Mist slowed great herds of the ghosts enough for Moltres to come in and blast them.

When Zapdos fell it riled Pikachu. He had become Black Lugia's worst opponent. Pikachu had managed twice to leap onto the black behemoth to send charged jolts into it. Green Lugia was now heading in for another run on its foe.

Black Lugia watched.

"Captain! Black Lugia is drawing on its reserves!" the voice of the Lieutenant came from the scan deck.

Monitors measuring the average size and strength of the ghosts showed remarkable reduction in mass and power in them in the near region of the battle. But scans of the spirits far away from the battle also showed a reduction, but not as much.

"It draws best locally," Caroline noted.

"Yes," Mandy agreed, "but that leaves a massive reserve."

Caroline suddenly looked over at her second, face flushed. "Mandy... give me a reading on just what reserve we are looking at here..."

Mandy saw the look she had just been given and jumped into the equations.

"My god... 200,000..."

"Yes?"

"...200,000 Terawatts - and climbing..."

Exeter at maximum output, twin power units and drives totaled together, generated a mere 50,000 Terawatts...

"Helm... back us away from the planet. Put us in the orbit of the moon. Once there, be ready on emergency warp on my command."

"Switch all satellites and relays to sub-space communications," Commander Anderson ordered.

Green Lugia swooped in for another attack. Pikachu leapt off the beast's head.

Black Lugia jumped forward, and upwards, mouth agape.

Pikachu disappeared within the maw of Black Lugia.

"PIKAAAAACHUUUU!" Ash screamed.

"PIKAAAAACHUUUUUUUU!" his Pokémon responded within the monster. His last attack would be his most violent.

Black Lugia shrieked in pain. It writhed across the sky in an arcing sweep, electricity sparking from every orifice. It dropped a few hundred feet below Ash and the Green Lugia.

"Captain!" More bad news...

"I see it Lieutenant…" she replied.

"What?" Mandy asked.

"Black Lugia has just absorbed the Pikachu's capabilities!"

Mandy looked at the screen. "God! That would mean it could FIRE all those Terawatts at once!"

Edwards stood up and looked over the Captain's Loft down at the command stations. "Helm! Prepare for time-jump!"

The Mew felt it. The MewTwo knew what had occurred. There was nothing left they could do.

Black Lugia looked down on the pair, two burning red spots now alive below its eyes.

"That burst was one quarter Terawatt, Captain. Targets were vaporized."

"Second target acquired - another hit... again one quarter Terawatt. Again, target vaporized."

Caroline put her head between her hands as she sat back down with a thud. This was a horrible duty.

"Third target hit... another vaporized..."

"Who's left?" she managed to ask.

"Forth target acquired... Something different this time Captain..." came the response from the weapons officer. Caroline looked up at the monitor.

Black Lugia was in pursuit of Green Lugia. Green Lugia was on the ground running! Why? Caroline tweaked her scanner control.

The picture orbited the running beast. There, the picture finally answered her question.

Green Lugia was carrying the limp form of Ash Ketchum - a burn mark ran the length of his back. Caroline touched another control, and stats jumped up on the screen. They were hard to read through the tears. She could hear someone below in a loud whisper say "Oh just put him down and defend yourself! He's dead!"

"Black Lugia is only using standard Thundershock on Green Lugia," the weapons officer reported.

One burst.

Two bursts.

The third one hit home.

Green Lugia fell, landing on its back, skidding to a halt. The body of Ash landed in a crumpled heap near the beast's head.

Black Lugia landed on its rival, claws tearing into its legs. It bellowed a victorious cry then quickly swept down with its jaw. In one bite, its rival's head lay asunder.

A bell chimed. The computer then noted "At 13:42 hours ship time, all life was extinguished from this planet, save the subject on scanner 12."

Black Lugia continued to devour the other Lugia, with some of the Haunters joining in with the feast. It suddenly looked up... directly into the scanner's view. It shrieked.

"Captain," the lieutenant was heard from again, "waves of Lugian Ghosts are leaving the planet, heading towards our location!"

"Warp! Warp NOW!" ordered the Captain.

Exeter entered the trans-dimensional barrier long before any of the ghosts could reach them.

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Level 6.3. A starship burst through the trans-dimensional barrier, the name 'Forrestal' running across her hull. She entered orbit of a planet, and proceeded to deploy satellites.

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Kinza's Scat Back re-entered the time stream over the planet. They were into the future.

"We're here, ma'am!" he said to his passenger, but had little time to get much more than a few bearings.

It struck hard - three time- the hull of the tough little ship was struck with junk that came out of nowhere.

"Kinza! What's going on?" Rose yelled from behind the Tomassamassa.

"We've come out in some sort of debris field!" he shouted, adjusting shields and deflectors to shove chunks of flotsam away. The buffeting subsided.

They were over the planet. A deadly red glow shown from the surface greeted them.

Kinza looked at his readings then out his windows. "Ma'am, was it like this when you left?"

"No," she whispered. She clutched her hands to her face.

"Computer, temporal scan. Give me an anomaly percentage..."

The computer sat silent for what felt like an eternity. It then chirped "Percentage of temporal anomaly - eighty-five percent!"

"Frack!" swore Kinza. "We're not going down there! Ma'am, we're heading for the Stratus League!"

"But, what is all this we came out in?"

Kinza looked out his windows at the wreckage. "She's a starship... probably one of ours... Checking..." He scanned the scrap. He pulled back on his yoke, and his ship skipped through the junk.

"There!" he pointed out. A large section of main hull could be seen. 'Exet' could be seen.

Kinza sat silently for a moment. "We are definitely going to have to prevent this!"

The Scat Back blinked out.

Destination - the Stratus League.

**oOo**

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Elb Kinza, UNS Forrestal, UNS Exeter, Scat Backs, Captain Roy Strom, Commander Button, Captain Caroline Edwards, Commander Mandy Anderson, Topaz Whitehorse, The Observers©2000, 03, 05, 07 DMS - Used with permission

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0502.05 – 0706.20


	9. The Stratus League

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Nine **

**The Stratus League**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft R. A. Stott  
with a passing note to a FanFic written by Steve Brunton_**

"Aw, I hate temporal physics," Kinza growled.

Rose peered over his shoulder out the front window of their ship. They had just exited the trans-dimensional zone into the semi-real space over the Stratus League. There before them she saw a huge starship resting on a landing platform.

"Isn't that Exeter?" she asked the Tomassamassa in the pilot's seat.

"Yup," was his short reply.

She cocked her head in confusion. "But, didn't we just see..."

"Yup."

"I'm confused..."

Kinza smirked. "Yea... 'Good thing I picked up those scanner nodes before we headed here."

Rose looked at the pile behind her seat where the collection arms had deposited the mess of wreckage. It didn't look as if anything could have been extracted from any of that junk!

"Do you think that ship may have been another Exeter? You know... an alternate from another dimension?" she asked.

Kinza though for a moment. "Possibly... We've only documented a few dimensional levels that have Lexington Class Starships... We've NEVER cataloged another Exeter or Forrestal before..."

Kinza reached over and keyed a mic. "Scat Back F2-662/12 to Stratus League - request permission to land..."

"Scat Back F2-662/12, you are permitted to land on pad 14..." came the response from League Command. Kinza lowered his landing pads and swooped in for a touchdown.

A figure was waiting for them. The middle aged woman was dressed regally, with a long deep red dress covered with a dark green cape. In her hand was a staff - thin and long with a PokéBall on its base and a flame coming from its top that formed a halo.

Kinza slid the canopy of his ship forward and the high engine mount back so that his passenger could get out. Rose looked out of the ship and saw the woman and quickly looked away. Kinza saw her as well and nodded.

"Madam President..." he said, extracting himself from the Scat Back.

"Kinza," she acknowledged then she looked at Rose. "Rose..."

"Why?" Rose said, nearly sobbing.

The President of the Stratus League sighed. "Actually, it was pre-ordained..."

Rose looked up and glared at her. "Ordained? Aunt Sabrina, what do you mean?"

"Who am I?" she asked flatly.

Rose looked confused at her. Kinza understood and gestured over at the President as Rose looked between them. "You're my Aunt Sabrina..."

"And who did you run into in the past?" the President added.

"I ran into..." Then it dawned on her. "I ran into YOU!"

She smiled and nodded to her niece. "Thus, you gave me important information I needed for the future."

"We're about to give you more," Kinza said as the collection arms on his ship deposited a large section they could not store inside the Scat Back onto the landing deck with a resounding thud. It bore a serial number and the name EXETER on it. He pointed over at the ship behind them. "I took Rose back to her proper time period point in history and found it under Lugian attack, and Exeter in bits and pieces."

Sabrina looked over at the massive ship with a start. "Did you get any scans and data?"

"Oh yea," Kinza said. "We scanned everything, and collected a bunch of data nodes and scanner packs from the wreckage..."

Sabrina nodded. "I'll have a crew send all your material down to the Chairman's Research Center. Come... we need to get to the debriefing."

"Debriefing?" Rose asked.

"I would say that with Exeter here," Kinza interjected, "that she came with a bunch of information about the destruction of level 6.4."

The President sighed and nodded in agreement. The threesome headed into the main center while crews started to climb over the Scat Back removing the wreckage it stored.

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"M - my parents?" James questioned. "No, I don't remember my parents being with Team Rocket. Why?"

Jesse leaned back on the sofa. "The electric rat said that in one of the other dimensions that YOUR mother and father were the founders of Team Rocket, that's why."

"Not the boss' family?" James had a silly look on his face as he blankly looked around the room.

Jesse nodded. "He was still in charge, but he was just 'The Boss,' and not a member of the founding family."

"It would explain a great deal..." James mumbled. "I never really knew just where my parents got their money..."

"Your parents mean a great deal to me," came a voice from behind them -A very familiar voice. "If it wasn't for their Red Rocket Operating System software, the Silph Company would have never made it. Hello Jesse - Hello James... What's with Meowth?"

Jesse and James slowly turned around. There he was -In red. Why always in red?

Jesse's foot touched the statue of Meowth.

"Poisonally, I've always had a ting about 'Cat Scratch Fever!'" Meowth finished what he had been saying before Jesse had timed him out. When he looked up, he then got an eyeful.

"D-DADDY- I mean... B-BOSS!" he stammered.

Giovanni wasn't pleased with the "Daddy" response. He blew some air, turned on his heel, and left the room.

He then re-entered the room, backing away from a sparking and growling flying Pikachu.

"Boss, what are you doing here?" Jesse said, making sure not to do Meowth's mistake.

"I was INVITED!" he shouted at the Pikachu.

"And I STILL don't like it!" PK hissed back.

"Gentlemen! Please!" came from outside the room. Sabrina entered, her eyes flashing.

"Don't give me that look, Sabrina," PK snarled. "I don't trust this man, he's evil, and I WON'T work with him!"

"No one ASKED you to work with me, rodent!" Giovanni barked back.

"CHUUUU!" PK cursed.

"PK!" Sabrina angrily yelled.

"Don't worry, Sabrina..." he grumbled. "I'll... cooperate... with our... guest." He then floated up to Giovanni's face. "But I'll be watching you..." Some of the sparks he was emitting tingled Giovanni's nose. The Pikachu then turned, and flew out of the room.

"You were trying to capture THAT for ME?" Giovanni asked Jesse and James. James gave a sheepish grin. Jesse was surprisingly calm, almost grim.

"So tell me - BOSS," she snidely said in an angry tone, "did you get to see your granddaughter?"

James gave Jesse a confused look. It went completely over Meowth's head. Sabrina looked at her in shock. Giovanni smiled, which became a grin as he looked at the floor.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" he said, much to everyone's surprise. Jesse felt a wave of cold and fear run up her spine.

PK entered the science stations room in the trailer still muttering to himself.

"Pikachu! Pikachu! What is HE doing here?" the mother Jesse cried to the Pokémon.

"Good question," he replied with a grumble, but then noticed the frightened look he was getting from the mother.

"Hey, hey" he said trying to calm her. "He's here on official business. And I won't let him do ANYTHING to you or Little Rose here."

"Promise?" she asked.

PK raised a finger to the mouth of the frightened Jesse. "I have an idea," he said with a smile. He then floated to the middle of the room. There, he began to glow, nearly rolling up into a yellow ball. He then sprung open and fired a kinetic beam into hyperspace.

There was a bright flash that seemed to give great delight to Little Rose. Where the light had been, now sat another Pikachu. It sat there with its head bowed to the two humans. It then looked up, and showed her two large pink eyes.

Mother Jesse was taken aback by the eyes. "Ooh, what a pretty Pikachu! Who is she?"

"Ma'am," PK said as he landed next to the other Pokémon then giving her a hug, "this is my mother, Pink Lady."

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"The Council Chambers of the Stratus League will now come to order!" the Sergeant of Arms announced. The amphitheater bristled with senior trainers, watchers, breeders, Pokémon, senators, council members and the Lead Board members who represented the 6 major Pokémon groups, as well as the Chief Medical and Security Officers. Also present were senior officers of the Starship crews and members of the Observers Corps.

The President tapped her staff on the floor. The Chairman hammered his gavel. The room fell silent.

"Members of the council," Sabrina began. "as you know, we are here today to face a great evil - An evil that has all ready destroyed numerous levels of reality. To bring us up to date on what we are facing, I turn these proceedings over to Chairman Brock..."

The gray haired senior breeder stood, picked up a keypad and lit up a giant screen behind him. The amphitheater gasped.

Brock cleared his throat. "First, I would like to thank the two starships that have come to our assistance. The following information was provided by Captain Edwards and her crew aboard Exeter, and Captain Strom and his crew aboard the Starship Forrestal...

"What we are up against has been dubbed 'Black Lugia' - An evil anti-version of our own Lugia. This beast has with it a horde of ghost Pokémon - these ghosts, which include Gastlys, Haunters and Gengars, are used by this Lugia as a way to absorb the life force energies of the planets that they attack. These energies are then transferred to the Black Lugia. Exeter managed to read a level of 300,000 Terawatts before she had to break away from her scanning mission.

"Scans also showed that Black Lugia can mimic some of the powers of other Pokémon it absorbs, as we see here as the Pikachu Ketchum of level 6.4 is... is... ingested..." There was an audible grumble from the audience as the scene witnessed by those aboard Exeter had replayed.

"In each level attacked so far, the ultimate goal of Black Lugia seems to be the Lugia of that particular level. An interesting occurrence that we are currently watching via Forrestal, who is monitoring Black Lugia's entrance into Level 6.3, is that Black Lugia seems NOT to have the powers of the absorbed Pokémon from the previous level..."

On the monitor, the lower right of the screen showed codes and the words "LEVEL 6.3 - SCANNER 57 - U.N.S. FORRESTAL." Centered on the screen was a warp hole which was belching red ghosts into the atmosphere. Suddenly, the hole expanded wide, and Black Lugia emerged. The image froze and data jumped over the creature.

"You will notice, that this Lugia's electric sacks that it received on the level before have disappeared. Power levels are also lower. Theories are Black Lugia uses the energies stored from the previous level to form the trans-dimensional corridor that it and its ghosts use to traverse the levels. This would also imply that Black Lugia requires this energy boost provided by the previous level, otherwise, it would be trapped in whatever dimension it's in."

Brock's pad vibrated slightly in his hand meaning a board member wished to ask a question. He looked at the readout. "Yes, Chief Jennifer?"

"Have any attacks worked against this Black Lugia or its ghosts?" she asked.

"Good question," he said. "It depends on when the attack happens. The one thing we do know about attacks against the Lugiean forces, electric shocks work only at close range, water attacks are useless since Lugia started out as a water based creature, and grass types are absorbed too quickly to be effective at all. All this depends on when attacks occur, since the absorption of specific types of Pokémon only reinforce the types of attacks the Lugiean forces can defend against, or use against its attackers."

A murmur ran through the hall. Brock knocked his gavel twice to regain some composure over the meeting.

"Attacks that have worked, and worked up to the point of total absorption of a level have been..." The screen behind Brock broke into a multitude of smaller windows "against the ghost, psychic wave... Here we see Level 6.4's Mew and MewTwo repelling, and in some cases dispersing the ghosts that were attacking them. In this case, we found that the Mew had been injured earlier, thus limiting its capabilities...

"Ice mist - Level 6.4's Articuno used this attack to slow the ghost. It was only slightly effective, but when combined with Moltres' fire blast attacks, it could defeat a large grouping of ghosts. Fire blasts by themselves were quite effective, but it seems only when they were coming from Pokémon such as Moltres or high level Pokémon.

"An interesting occurrence early on that was repeated later by the last of the Fearrow recorded was Mirror Wave. It did much the same as the Psychic Wave used by the Mew and MewTwo, but it failed to destroy any of the ghosts. It did work as a deterrent.

"As for Black Lugia, it's hard to figure just what attack early on it would have been vulnerable to, as it stayed away from most battles, drawing energy from the ghosts before joining in. It did show signs of not being able to defend against electric attacks early on, and of course later when the Pikachu attacked at point blank range. Another problem is that Black Lugia would send in a wave of ghosts before committing itself."- Brock switched the multi windowed screen back to a large single view.

"Here we see the primary attack pattern being used by the Lugiean forces. We call it the Strip Wave."

The screen showed a large ghost force descending on a forest from above. Like a scythe through wheat, the ghosts tore a line out of the trees, beasts and anything else in their path. Data readouts along side the image showed the percentage of life destroyed in the attack and the amount of energy stored by the ghosts. The murmur returned in the hall. Again, Brock struck his gavel. His pad started to buzz again.

"Doctor Joy?"

"Chairman, I see by these readings that the energy patterns are increasing dramatically... These are life force energies, correct?"

"Yes ma'am..."

"Is there a way to return this life force back to it's victim?"

Brock looked at the pad in his hand and keyed a view on the screen. Something black and shriveled appeared on the screen.

"This is what is left after a strip wave attack. By mass and shape, we determined that this used to be a Charizard. Scans showed insufficient mass for such an attempt." Brock keyed the pad again, and the view switched to a planetary shot from orbit.

"This view was only recently obtained by our Elb Kinza. Now those of you who know temporal physics are about to scream, I know. Kinza was attempting to return a member of the League to her proper time and place after a trip into the past.. When they arrived at her proper time and space coordinates, they found this..." A view of wreckage could now be seen in the picture, and the planet was turning an angry red.

"The temporal effects that have occurred here seem to indicate that we've just created a temporary sub-dimension/time-line. Since the ship shown here is our own Exeter, we can only assume that she was a future version. Since we now know what happened to her, we can prevent his from happening."

"But, if we prevent that from happening to her, how can we be seeing it now?" came a shout from out of the chamber. Brock banged the gavel again.

"What we are seeing would become a new time-line. We can observe it without destroying it. Remember members, we are dealing with time-lines and dimensional paradoxes. Cause and effects are one thing, but temporal physics are completely different. By this image alone, we see what will become of the Prime Level... OUR planet... if we fail at stopping Black Lugia."

"Has a plan been developed, Chairman?" asked the President. Brock gave her a slightly incredulous look.

"Yes ma'am," he said aloud to the audience. But he thought hard enough for her to read him in her mind loud and clear. 'Not that YOU don't know it already!' rang through her head. Sabrina looked down at the desk before her, sad.

'Indeed I do, Brock... Indeed I do...'

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"James, your parents financed me when I took over the Silph Company," Giovanni told the former Rockets. "And as you all know, without the Silph Company, Team Rocket would not be the organization it is today..."

"So, Silph is just a cover for Team Rocket?" James asked.

"Not dat it's hard ta know who runs dat place, Boss! Have ya ever seen da wardrobe department? All dem shoits and clothes wit' 'R' on dem?" Meowth noted matter of factly.

"Ahem, yes, I have been meaning to talk to our buyers..." Giovanni mused.

"My parents... financed Team Rocket... I would have never guessed," James muttered.

"It is how you got into Team Rocket as well, James... And also why I couldn't completely get RID of you buffoons!" roared the Rocket leader.

James and Meowth scampered to the back of the room. Jesse stood up and confronted Giovanni point blank. Giovanni wasn't ready for this and backed up.

"Enough!" she said to him. "Am I a buffoon, father? AM I?"

"Jesse, I... I..."

"You LEFT mother and I when I was only four! We BARELY survived all those years! You only helped out when you almost went to jail for lack of support! And then, you sent me to that SCHOOL! WITHOUT ASKING ME! WITHOUT ASKING MOTHER! And what do I find when I drop out of it? You'd sent mother on some mission! Mother had somehow DIED! No explanations, NO BODY... Now what would I find if I rummaged through the files of the TS at HQ? HUMMM?"

"TS? How do YOU know of TS?" Giovanni said, sweat pouring down his brow.

"Oh, PLEASE Daddy! EVERYONE in Team Rocket knows of the TS! If you didn't know, it's your greatest way at keeping the troops in check! They're all afraid that the TS may come and take them away!"

"I have never sent TS against loyal members of Team Rocket," Giovanni defended himself. Not enough for Jesse though. She flashed her eyes, and the Boss left the floor in a blue glow.

Sabrina nearly attempted a rescue, but saw James and Meowth shaking their heads quickly telling her not to. She moved to the rear of the room, ready to assist if needed.

"You may not have here, but I've seen where you HAVE!" growled Jesse from behind the fire in her eyes.

"What? I am to be condemned by the actions of one of these 'other selves' I've been told about?" yelled the chief Rocket.

Jesse ground her teeth. "I KNOW you too well, Daddy-o! I'm just giving you fair warning..." She then put her nose against his. "Go anywhere NEAR my baby out there, and I WILL destroy YOU AND Team Rocket!"

Sabrina nodded in agreement, sensing the energy being displaced. "She could do it" she said. "Just don't destroy the planet in the process, Jesse." Giovanni quickly looked over at the psychic at the rear of the room, fear all over his face.

Sabrina's last message finally hit home. Jesse tossed Giovanni onto the sofa. She left the room in a pleased huff.

"Baby?" James asked.

"Whot baby?" Meowth finished the question.

Sabrina put her head on her hand and shook it.

Jesse entered the science station. Baby Rose was playing with Pikachu... er- A - Pikachu... no eye patch, and pink eyes to boot! Mother Jesse watched her enter the room and applauded.

"What's that for" Jesse asked.

PK floated up next to her. "Are you kidding? I think the entire compound heard what you just said to Giovanni there!"

"It was wonderful!" Mother Jesse said, showing much relief.

Jesse looked at the Pikachu playing with her, er, ward. "So, who's our visitor?"

"Jesse, let me introduce you to my mother, Pink Lady. She's here to do basically what you just told Giovanni YOU were about to do."

"A pleasure my dear," the lady Pikachu said, being much too sweet for Jesse to stand.

Oh well, the more the merrier!

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Ash entered the library at Cerulean City. Professor Oak had sent him to get his assistant, who was doing heavy research for him. And the Cerulean Library system had the best collection of ancient PokéDexes.

Eighty-four volumes, huge leather and gold bound books, each as thick as a Charizard's arm. And most of them seemed to be plopped on a pair of desks towards the rear of the library.

Ash remembered being told about these books as a child during a school trip to this library. They were the accumulated knowledge of more than just the ages, but of all time itself. They weren't the whittled down, domesticated versions with electronic voices and trade names like Dexter, CyberPoké, or PokéMax. These volumes contained thousands of Pokémon - which is one of the reasons why they were doubted for so long to be truthful. Yes, you could find practically all the currently known Pokémon, but these volumes also contained what were thought to be mythological, fantasy, legendary and flat out fake Pokémon. But recent events in the world had changed some people's thinking on the subject. Discoveries of fossils, and of living, breathing examples of what were once thought of as fictitious creatures listed in the original Pokédexes had brought on a renaissance so to say with the written word.

And what words were written and illustrated. Some of these volumes had been hand drawn by some monks. It took a skilled eye to be able to decipher much of what they had transcribed from traveler's tales and information heard on the fly. Lifetimes of work had been placed into these volumes. And now, they sat piled high on desks in the Cerulean Library.

Ash heard a page turn behind the stack nearest him. He peered around it. There, seated at a table with a book stand mounted to it, and one of the volumes spread across it, sat a woman with flaming orange-red hair - it sure was longer than the last time he had seen her - and an odd little pair of square-framed Franklin reading glasses perched on her nose. She seemed completely engrossed in what she was doing.

"Misty?" Ash asked, a big grin crossing his face.

She looked up from her reading. "May I help you sir?" she asked, not associating the voice or hairy face. But then she saw the hat, and she gasped.

"Hey kid," Ash continued to grin. He suddenly had an armful of squealing girl to contend with. Interesting reaction! Hummm...

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Sabrina felt something. No. Now wasn't the time to deal with that. She needed to keep Giovanni there, and so far, the meeting had gone pretty much as she thought it would have - extremely bad. She made a teleport move and blocked the doorway out.

"Get out of my way, psychic brat!" Giovanni snarled. "I don't know why I came here in the first place!"

"Because YOU know the power of Lugia!" she yelled back. "And the Lugia we are about to face puts OUR Lugia to shame power wise! You HAVE to help us!"

"Why?" he continued to snipe. "What's in it for me?"

"Possibly - YOUR LIFE!" she screamed in a furious tone.

Giovanni stood back, crossed his arms, and gave the psychic a smug look. "Really. You're right... I do know about Lugia... I make it my business to know about ALL Pokémon. In one legend, Lugia was supposed to be the bringer of the 'End of the World' was it? Well, Lugia has been here and is now gone. The world is still here, and my life hasn't been better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a business to run."

Sabrina gave Giovanni a slight shove back with an easy psychic wave. "You just don't get it, do you? You've got the wrong Lugia, Mr. Sakaki. Allow me to show you..."

James and Meowth had continued to huddle in the back of the room while these two had been chewing on each other. Now they were watching Sabrina start to glow. Her hair started to fly around her, and a wind has whipping up within the room.

"I don't like da looks a dis!" Meowth said as the room disappeared and a red, dusty glow surrounded them.

"Oh boy," was all James could say. He and Meowth staggered to their feet.

Sabrina looked over at the two who she hadn't meant to bring. "James... we are in an actual Lugiean site... I suggest you put some of your practice to work while we're here." He nodded and reached behind himself, pulling out a GassyBall. He then proceeded to stalk around the room they had landed in, crouched over, 'feeling' his surroundings for ghosts.

Meowth stood back one step and felt something crunch under his paw. He looked down and jumped into the air, away from the object he had stepped on.

"P - Persian!" shrieked the cat Pokémon, totally freaked by what he was seeing. He had stepped on the tail of what was left of the beast and had broken it off like cookie crumbs.

"Look at it," James said astonished. "It almost looks like charcoal!"

"Not almost," Sabrina said in an angry voice towards Giovanni, who was also looking at the blackened remains.

"Where are we, witch?" he snarled.

"Look behind you," she answered him.

Meowth did it before anyone else did and fainted on the spot. Giovanni knew what was behind him as well. He recognized the Persian and some of the other objects around him.

"No!" he said. "NO!"

Sabrina raised a finger and gave it a twirl. Giovanni was suddenly spun into position to see the body behind the desk. Giovanni stared. The body stared back.

"You should be proud," Sabrina said. "You were one of the first they attacked."

SHHHHLOOOOOP!

The sound had taken Sabrina and Giovanni by surprise. They turned to see James behind the psychic, GassyBall extended from his hands, and he in a blocking position.

"Ha!" James said smugly to the surprised Sabrina. "I just got me a Haunter!"

"A RED HAUNTER?" Sabrina asked. Now SHE was the shocked one.

"Yup," James said, tossing the GassyBall to Giovanni and picking up the limp body of Meowth using a psychic lift. "I suggest you get us out of here, before any more find us. Some of us might not survive the experience!"

Giovanni gave James a shocked look and threw the ball down. James caught it in a psychic glove and retrieved it. "We need that," he told his 'Boss.' "Do I have to tell mommy and daddy on you?"

Sabrina gave Giovanni a 'how 'bout that' cocked head look and took them back to the trailer.

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Ash hadn't expected the kiss.

It was long.

It was drawn out.

It was nice!

Ash finally had to push Misty away a bit - just so he could breathe!

"H-hi Misty! Nice to SEE you," he said sarcastically.

Misty smiled, planting her forehead against his. This was different for Ash, who still had some of the bumps inflicted upon him from over the years touring with Misty.

"I've been worried sick about you, Ash Ketchum," she said.

"Obviously," he blurted.

"No, really," she said, a bit hurt by the response Ash had given. He gave her a peck to the nose.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, pretty lady," he said. That was it... Ash wouldn't be breathing for awhile.

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The President of the League studied the flame from her staff. She was feeling the time-lines again and it always brought sadness to her.

Chairman Brock brought up another screen behind them. Dimensional levels began to be displayed in grid patterns across it.

"Another defense and offense we have discovered," Brock continued, "is that to battle a ghost, sometimes you need a ghost to fight back. In the attacks on Level 6.4, and the resident Haunters, Gastlys and Gengars were able to defend against the Lugiean forces. But since these types failed to unite or form groups together, they failed to keep from being absorbed into the collective. And, unfortunately, when these ghost types are defeated, they become more of the Lugiean type.

"What we have also discovered is that there are other types of ghosts that we can work with. These are spirits. We have recruited two of these along with their living assistant. This trio have been in training now for four months with Pikachu Ketchum. He reports that they are making progress..." Brock looked closely at the readout that was coming across his pad. He snickered. "...even though they are humans." A small rumble of laughter ran though the chamber.

"Our plan is this... This team, once fully prepared and manned, will be deployed on Level 5. This will all depend on whether the time-lines remain constant, and any sub-levels remain intact. Their mission will be to attack the Lugiean forces before they can build energies in that dimensional level. To this means, they need to acquire local Pokémon for the defense of that level, preferably, the Legendary Birds of Level 5, and possibly some of the Super Pokémon.

"To back up this team, we will deploy our backups on Level 4.6, .5 and .4. If this fails, I have been told that our starships WILL be the final defense line. This would be against their orders, but they say that they will protect their friends."

"Why not send them in right away?" was shouted from the midst of the amphitheater. Chairman Brock glared out. Most of the frontline of seated members was looking back into the theater, trying not to be the one Brock was burning holes in.

Brock slammed his gavel once - hard. Sabrina jumped in her seat.

"This is NOT their war," he angrily spat at the center of the room. He then keyed his pad again, and a picture came up on the screen. "I will not be responsible for this..."

The screen showed the readout 'SATTELITE SCANNER 6 - U.N.S. EXETER - LEVEL PRIME' as he played back the flight recordings Kinza had brought back with him. The high shot was of Black Lugia. The red spots were below its eyes again and it had just looked up at the scanner. The view quickly pulled back as the creature silently screamed at the camera. Only a spot was left of Black Lugia when a flash of light erupted from it. The view switched to "SATTELITE SCANNER 14 - U.N.S. EXETER - LEVEL PRIME." The view was of Exeter herself - a portrait shot - a forward section close up, with the rest of the ship trailing away. But she was beginning to back away from the scanning camera as a flash of light lit her like a strobe. The scanner had obviously been set on a zoom mode, as it backed away slightly. It showed a beam of energy striking the ship's shields, which shattered instantly. The beam then struck Exeter directly below her main forward section between her secondary power center and the long center run of the ship. The beam was seen continuing on past the ship as it sliced it in two. With that, the picture changed to snow and static.

"This meeting is concluded."

The Sergeant of Arms stood at attention. "ALL RISE!" he barked.

The President and Chairman stood, turned, and walked off the stage.

A League runner met the pair as they left the auditorium with update PADDS for each. The President waived off her pad and continued on. The confused runner watched her go while giving the Chairman his pad.

"You must be new here," Brock told the runner.

"Er... yes sir?" the runner answered.

He nodded as he tapped on his PADD. "Well, remember this... She doesn't need updates. She already knows what's happening."

Brock headed for his office, reading as he went.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A Black Lugia?" Misty asked. "Are you sure?"

"That's what we've been told," Ash said, sitting back in his chair, still a bit exhausted.

Misty pulled one of the volumes out of the stacks in front of her and placed it on the first book she had been reading earlier. She found a paper marker she had left in the book and opened it to that page.

"It's been long thought that these books were incorrect on many thing, but a lot of it has recently been found to be true," she said as she adjusted her glasses, much to Ash's amusement. "Look at this..."

Ash got up and looked into the book where Misty was pointing.

"Someone left a side note saying that they thought the artist may have been guessing at the colors..." Misty added. She was pointing at the listing for Lugia. The picture was incorrect for the Lugia that Ash and Misty had met two years prior - the head was a touch misshapen, the wings were too bird like, and the talons were more like a hawk's. It was a close enough representation though, illustrated by someone who was probably working from word of mouth. But the color... The artist had colored this Lugia Blue-Black, just as it had been described to him by Jesse and Pikachu the night before.

"The description of this Lugia is a bit more nasty here as well," Misty said, putting the Franklin reading glasses lower on her nose. "It says 'And when Lugia returns, it will lay the world asunder with a torrent of spirits and vapors.' That gives me the creeps just reading it"

Ash looked up at her. "It's not far from the truth... Come on, we need to assemble our teams."

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Kinza was standing at the entrance to the landing bay when the President saw him. She was heading for her quarters nearby when she felt something was wrong. That's when she found Kinza.

"Good evening, Elb Kinza. You seem worried," she said to him as she approached.

Kinza looked at the President and gave a slight laugh. "Worried? Me? Worried? I'm absolutely hysterical! Mr. Button is gonna KILL me!"

"Commander Button?" Sabrina asked. Why would the second in command of Forrestal be angry with Kinza... Wait...

"Kinza, where's... where's the Scat Back?" she asked.

Kinza pointed up towards the simulated star Vega on the Stratus' fake sky. "It just went that way," he said.

Sabrina looked up to where Kinza pointed and saw the unmistakable flash of a ship entering the trans-dimensional zone.

"Oh... Rose" she said aloud.

Kinza shook his head. "Excuse me for asking, Madam President, but when it comes to your niece, you seem not to know what she's doing most of the time... what is she, a wild card or something?"

Sabrina Natsumi sighed. "She certainly is... she certainly is..."

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"Computer, open journal..."

"Ship's log is now open," the computer said.

"My name is Rose Musashi... I have 'borrowed' this ship from Mr. Kinza in an attempt to end this before it all starts. Black Lugia killed my father and ruined my mother. I must prevent this. Therefore, I leave this record for those who may find it to explain what I am attempting to do...

"Aunt Sabrina, I'm sorry for doing this, but you did show me how to run one of these ships... In fact this VERY ship... I guess you're pretty sore at me right now... But unlike the last time, I don't expect to be stopped before I do what I must do.

"I have with me a collection of fifty PokéBalls - Most are the Pokémon I have collected over the years, five of them are ones friends let me borrow. We are going to attempt to locate the dimensional level that Black Lugia came from, move far enough back in time to a point prior to its escape from there, and destroy it. I have set the ship for automatic return as I did the time before. This time though, it will wait until I've completed my mission, or I have failed. Either way, the recording systems on board will document my attempt. End of journal."

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Kinza and Sabrina continued to look at where their ship had jumped the time-dimension barrier. Suddenly, a klaxon sounded.

"Alert! Alert! Emergency recovery in progress! Clear pad 14! Clear pad 14!"

A flash could be seen in the sky where Sabrina had been watching before. The Scat Back had returned. It swooped down, deployed it's landing pads, and made a perfect landing in front of Kinza and Sabrina.

"Look at that" Kinza said, pointing at a scorch mark running down the side of the ship. One of its lasers was bent back as well. He ran over to the ship and popped the canopy.

No Rose.

Only a Mew -Shaking, frightened and injured.

"Rose!" Sabrina said. Knowing all suddenly fell on her like a brick. She was SUPPOSE to know all. This one floored her. Why?

"Because this time, you haven't lived it yet" came a psychic transmission from the Mew. It then fell asleep. But as it drifted off, the thought was beamed to Sabrina "She's still alive - she needs your help..."

Sabrina looked at Kinza. Kinza was still shocked at what he was seeing in Mr. Button's Scat Back.

"Mr. Kinza, get me Captain Edwards."

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 03, 05, 07 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 03, 05, 07 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 03, 05, 07 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
"Cat Scratch Fever" ©1977 Ted Nugent/Epic/Sony/BMG

©2000, 03, 05, 07 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0502.06 – 0706.20


	10. History's Dagger

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Ten**

**History's Daggers**

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott  
with a passing note to a FanFic written by Steve Brunton_**

The Arcanine eyed the Meowth, a trickle of drool running down its mouth. It grumbled and snorted, building its energy stores, preparing to do what it had been trained to do - destroy anything that got in its master's way.

"Don't try it mate!" the Meowth sneered. "A'm a bit smarter than you! An' I c'n say right now, I've beat meaner 'n uglier Pokémon than you!"

The Arcanine leapt at the cat Pokémon. Meowth whipped out a staff, and clobbered the fire hound over the head. He then proceeded to shove the ends of the pole into either side of the beast in rapid succession, then threw the limp dog away with a flick of the staff. Then he saw the two new Arcanines, waiting their turns.

"Right!" the Meowth said. "Get that baby out'a here!" he then yelled back at the house, turning to pole-vault over the nearest dog, landing on the second.

James had heard the commotion from clear across the forest. He had dropped his sacks, and was running as fast as he could for his home. But six Black Shirts, a Scyther, and a wild eyed Raticate bounded out of the shrubs and blocked his way.

"You won't stop me THAT way, boys!" he said with a gleam in his eye, jumping into the air, somersaulting over the first group, landing between the Pokémon and the Black Shirts. He tossed a pair of PokéBalls under the Pokémon, which were instantly drawn in.

"Hey!" the first Black Shirt yelled. "You can't capture our Pokémon! The balls will reject them!"

"Who said anything about capturing your Pokémon?" James smiled. "That's just to distract them while I do THIS!" James proceeded to whip his legs between the legs of the Black Shirts, knocking them down. He then sprinted to his feet, and tossed another PokéBall.

"Weezing! Go! Sleeping gas!"

The poison Pokémon appeared and released it's unusual gas. Instantly the six Black Shirts found themselves sawing up wood.

"Get in there!" came a command from the rear. "I warned you! James' Pokémon were the best trained in Team Rocket!" Genya was standing on top of a Jeep Cherokee watching the former Rocket weave and tear threw the throng of Black Shirts and Pokémon sent to stop him.

"He's not doing so bad himself!" came a female voice over his com unit. "I can see why you wanted the garrison. If this doesn't work, Captain, I'm sending in the TS. Get him!"

"Right away boss!" he responded. "ALL TROOPS! ENCIRCLE AND CLOSE IN!"

James had released another Pokémon, and was firing orders left and right that would have confused the most obedient of creatures. "Arbok - Tail whip followed by Poison Needles! Weezing - Acid sludge attack! Arbok - Leer! Victreebel - Poison Lightning!"

He cut a swath through the attacking Black Shirts and Pokémon, finally making it to his rose garden. There, he kicked a fence post. A door slid open in the grass beside the roses. James looked down it, and heard a gurgling.

"Ah, nuts! They found the tunnel Meowth! They flooded it!" he shouted.

"That's not good news, mate!" the cat shouted back. "Well, it was bound ta happen sooner 'er later!"

"Back to back! Just like the good old days, ea Meowth?" James said, backing up to the cat while the garrison started to close in.

"We'll give 'em their money's worth!" Meowth said with a wink, swinging his staff in one hand, extending his claws in the other. "We'll see just how many of their gooses we kin' stick on me bar'bie! PREPARE FOR TROUBLE, YOU RAT CHASERS!"

Suddenly, there was a burst of wind, and something whizzed over their heads, rapidly moving away from them. Then another. And another. And another

The wind had kicked up a dust cloud that now covered the surrounded pair. Genya was perplexed. Then the dust started to clear.

"What are THOSE!?" he yelped.

James and Meowth could hear a whirring. They looked up and saw 4 strange looking aircraft hovering directly over their heads, seemingly pointing in four directions. Two more craft slowly moved over top of the four stationary ships.

"G'day! What in da blinkin' blue-eyed world are those!?" Meowth asked out loud. It would have been nice to be able to hear him, but he was pretty much drowned out by a rumbling that was coursing through the wood. Looking down the tree line, James and Meowth could see the sunlight go away as the trees darkened with the passing of something large - huge - really really big...

In unison, everyone who had stood in stunned silence, looked above themselves as a massive ship roared overhead. It came to a halt. It just - - - stopped.

"What is keepin' that bloody thing up there?" Meowth said. James just shook his head, but then he yelped "Arbok! Weezing! Victreebel! Defensive position!

James' three Pokémon leapt to their master's side, each choosing an angle to defend.

"What is the delay, Captain!?" barked the com system. "I don't care if the sky falls on your HEADS!! GET HIM!!"

"Y-yes boss!" Genya stammered. "You heard her! Unless you want to be TS targets, GET HIM!!"

The troops made one step forwards, and were dropped in a flash of light.

"Flight leader to Group 1, move out and stun only!"

The four ships slowly moved away from James and Meowth, beams of energy shooting from them, Black Shirts and Pokémon alike falling to the ground knocked silly.

"Well, thot don't happin' every day, ey?" the Meowth said.

They then noticed another sound, and looked up. A ship was descending on them. Not the huge ship, which still hovered overhead, but a smaller shuttle of sorts - larger than the small attacking ships that were knocking Black Shirts out left and right, but obviously large enough to carry more than just a pilot.

James was amazed at how quiet the ship came down. It was so quiet, he heard footsteps behind him on the porch of his house. He quickly looked behind him, and saw his wife and daughter. He smiled a quick smile of relief, then turned to the new visitor.

The shuttle landed with a gentle thud. A slight whine was heard as the engines died down. Then the doors open, revealing a slender green haired woman in robes and a fuzzy creature in a uniform... different, indeed.

President Sabrina stood in the doorway for a moment and swallowed hard. "Ah..." she whispered to Kinza, "I think we'd better not let Jesse know about THIS!"

Kinza was a bit more to the point. "Who in the world is THAT!?" also whispering.

PK, who had joined the group after learning of Rose's abrupt venture into time travel - AGAIN - looked out the doorway in stunned shock. But he did manage to say one questioning word...

"Cassidy!?" he yelped.

Kinza looked puzzled. "That's not Jesse?"

"Not even close," Sabrina answered.

"Ah!" the Tomassamassa said, shaking his head. "I hate temporal physics!"

---------------------------

"Captain's Log: The Lugia Campaign - Level 14... Exeter has backtracked the path that Scat Back 12 from Forrestal took Rose Musashi in her attempt to destroy Black Lugia before it escaped its own dimensional level. We have arrived approximately 12 hours prior to the Skat Back's departure from this level, and are now attempting to find it's transponder signal."

---------------------------

"Lugia?" James asked sitting at his kitchen table drinking a coffee. "I haven't heard of anything called Black Lugia, but yes... I certainly have known of Lugia... I had a run in with it some years ago."

"Oy! Thot takes me back!" the Meowth bellowed, rubbing its tummy and swigging a beer. "We got da Triple Rocket Cluster fer thot one!"

"Triple Rocket..." Sabrina asked confused, looking around for an answer.

"...Cluster??" Kinza added. "Ah! A medal!" he realized as James pointed to a framed award on the wall behind him... or at least one of them... It hadn't dawned on anyone yet that the wall was CRAWLING with medals, honors and what-nots, all dealing with Team Rocket's seemingly best team, Jesse and James.

PK was impressed, if not confused. "Er, pardon me for asking, but where's Jesse?"

James was halfway into another drink from his cup. He stopped and looked over the rim at his guests, giving them his best Mr. Spock raised eyebrow he could. He finished his swig and put down the mug. "You're from out of town, aren't you?"

"What gave us away? The starship hovering over your house?" Kinza cracked.

James smirked. "Good one. No, Jesse and I haven't seen one another - at least, not in person - in about a year and a half. Not since..." He reached out and took the hand given him by Cassidy, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout all the entire situation besetting her family.

"When I first laid eyes on Cassidy, I knew she and I were meant to be!" James gushed.

Sabrina sat with a nearly blank expression on her face - then again, so did Kinza and PK. Then, something chimed in her head. She looked at Cassidy with some concern.

"Mute?" she said. The look James gave her answered the question.

"How'd did you know? How?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry... I'm psychic..." Sabrina explained, embarrassed that she had blurted that out so loud.

"Ah... That does explain how you would know... Well, it wasn't by choice. It was punishment..."

"What?" the trio across the table said in unison.

"Wait... I'll have to tell you the whole story... Up until three years ago, Jesse and I were Team Rocket's top team. We were entrusted with the hardest jobs the Boss could throw at us. And we NEVER failed him."

'Now THERE'S something you'd never hear from OUR James!' thought PK. Sabrina shot him a look. He grinned.

"About that time, the Boss was sending us to collect samples of Pokémon, rather than stealing them outright. It seems that he wanted to get their DNA. It was different, and a bit more challenging. Before, you just grabbed and ran. This new way meant you needed to find more deceptive ways of getting what we wanted. So Jesse and I trained our Pokémon in special techniques, so that we could obtain our needed samples by simply doing Pokémon battles. Arbok alone was responsible for 40 of our take!"

"'Ey! 'Ey!" barked the Meowth.

"Hey, don't sweat, Meowth! You know I'm just pulling your chain! Meowth here was the best sample grabber we had!"

"75, 'n don't you forget it, mate!" he swaggered.

'I'm not quiet sure I'm ready for Meowth with an Aussy accent,' PK thought again. 'Course I wasn't quiet ready for the light blue fur either!' Sabrina just looked at the ceiling for a moment.

Kinza couldn't hear the psychic commentary going on, but could see Sabrina's reactions. He gave PK a slight nudge with his elbow. PK in turn gave a slight static shock back in return.

"I take it," Kinza said, rubbing his elbow to get the feeling back in it, "that Giovanni was attempting to clone Pokémon..."

James nodded. "About a year into the collecting program, the Boss was killed in an accident at the cloning lab. One of his creations self destructed, taking everyone and everything within 20 miles with it."

"That must have been some Pokémon!" PK said. "Any idea what it was?"

"Fortunately, all data and video systems downloaded to duplicate systems at headquarters. The entire event was recorded. He called it a MewTwo. Seems the moment it awoke, it became extremely violent. Being a psychic Pokémon, it simply changed its form to pure energy and blew up. The Boss was in a helicopter en route when it went. He didn't stand a chance.

"I was surprised by Jesse's reaction when she heard. She cried all night. That's when I found out about the Boss and Jesse..."

"That she was his daughter?" PK said.

"His wife you mean..."

There was a collective gaping of mouths and bugging of eyes.

"Temporal paradoxes!" Kinza said, cocking his head. "Gotta love 'em!"

The room froze for a moment. Kinza and Sabrina looked over at PK and both said "Thank you."

"'Pleasure... Whoa! What'ta start! His WIFE!?"

Kinza looked at the James before him. "Well, if it were our Jesse, not only would he have been marrying his daughter, but, taking age and dates in mind, he would have been labeled a cradle robber. If this James is a proper example of this level's Jesse and James, I'd say that they're a bit older than our Jesse and James."

"Point noted," Sabrina said, taking in a breath. "Let us continue..."

PK nodded, and released the time-jump.

"Wife, I mean... wife!" PK said, attempting to correct what he had said earlier. "Sorry..."

"Anyway," James continued, "the Boss' will left Team Rocket to Jesse - lock, stock and barrel. And she dove in with both feet! She ran it harder than the Boss had ever run Team Rocket. I never knew just how ruthless Jesse was up until then.

"I was sent off on assignments with Meowth as my new permanent partner, while Jesse remained at headquarters being her own little Boss."

Meowth nodded. "Yea, 'n dat's when she started ta give us those wild an' hairy jobs! Hoowee! That last one was a dilly!"

"What was it?" Sabrina asked.

"Get this... she wanted a feather," James said, leaning over the table towards Sabrina. "A feather... from EACH of the Legendary Birds!"

PK gave James a incredulous look. "What, is she nuts?"

"'Ey! We thought that first!" Meowth griped.

James sat back in his chair. "Anyhow, we found that some idiot named Jirarudan was attempting to collect the Legendary Birds. So we stowed away on his ship, and waited for the fireworks. Sure enough, he managed to get Moltres and Zapdos. Just capturing them made them loose feathers, so getting those two was a snap."

"Thot' s when Articuno attacked tha ship!" Meowth added. "'Guess it didn't like tha way Jirarudan started ta attack it's home!"

"Yea, but that's when everything started to hit the fan!" James said with a wry smile on his face. "Articuno disable the ship, which crashed into its island home. The crash caused the other two birds to get free. We abandoned ship as fast as we could. 'Found an Articuno feather in the process!

"So, there we were, three feathers in our caps, ready to head back to HQ. We noticed that the three birds were starting to duke it out between themselves, so that was no place for Team Rocket's finest to be. We booked out!"

Sabrina looked at Kinza. "They got out of there..." he said. She nodded understanding.

"But wait!" James said, holding his hand out in a halting motion. "As we're running along, I see water boiling in the sea. And lo and behold, Lugia erupts from the sea! WHOOOSH!!

"Hey, I was ordered to get feathers from ALL of the Legendary Birds. Just because a new one decided to appear before me that very moment wasn't going to faze me! Jesse wanted feathers, I was going to get her feathers!"

"HA!" Meowth laughed. "You should'a seen this loony! He climbs a rock cliff and waits for Lugia ta fly by, right? An' when it does, 'e jumps off tha cliff onta the critter's back, grabbin' anything he 'kin get his hands on!"

James shrugged. "Hey! I got my feathers!"

Kinza and PK looked at one another, then back at the pair across the table from them.

"Tell me, what color was your Lugia?" PK asked.

"Off white with dark blue highlights!" was James' response. Well, that meant this level's Lugia was the same as back at home.

James' face turned grim. "As I jumped onto Lugia, I was thinking to myself - this is it! If I ever live through this, that's it! I'm through! No more, uh uh, goodbye! James Kojiro has left the building, see ya! I bounced off the back of the beast, grabbing what I could as I hit. Fortunately, Lugia was near the ground when I hit it. Unfortunately, I was still moving too fast to do a proper tuck-and-roll to avoid some good bumps and bruises. I broke three ribs doing that. Never again!

"I had dated Cassidy once or twice prior to the mission, so I was pleasantly surprised that she was there in the hospital waiting for me to recover. Meowth had delivered our wears. 'Got those medals for it too. But Jesse never bothered to come visit me.

"I told Cass what I was planning to do. She asked me if I would like a partner. I told her that I would appreciate it greatly. She said that she'd tender her resignation as well then... That was one of the last times I ever heard her speak..."

Sabrina looked as if she were about to be ill. "Why? Why would they do such a thing?"

"No one - NO - ONE - leaves Team Rocket. Or, at least, no one may leave permanently, or may speak of Rocket activities. And they have ways of making it so. First, they started with intimidation. Her Pokémon started to disappear, or not behave. There were threatening phone calls. Then her brother's supposed suicide..."

"Brother?" PK asked.

"Butch," Meowth answered. "Odd kid, sounded like he ate a frog as a kid..."

"Butch had been Cass' partner in Team Rocket," James continued his story. "One night, someone found him swinging from a tree."

"He hung himself?" Kinza interjected.

"Not quite... I saw the coroner's report before the Adjustments Department 'corrected' the report. Butch was dead before he was hung there from a blow to the head. And I know the Marowak that probably did it."

"Team Rocket's own?"

"A special group in Team Rocket... TS - Terminal Solutions... Basically our own internal rectifying department. They take care of all the messy stuff that would otherwise make Team Rocket a nasty place to work!" James sarcastically remarked. "They're also responsible for keeping the rank-and-file in line. Team Rocket's own little hit squad."

"Geeze!" Kinza shuddered. "Nice workman's comp! Not to sound insensitive, but Cassidy is still quite with us... Why?"

"An example to the rest of the roustabouts," James growled. "Sometimes it's best to leave an example to show what may happen if you fall out of line..."

Sabrina stood up and went over to Cassidy. Cassidy was wearing a turtle-neck, and she knew why.

"Please, I can help," Sabrina told her. "Trust me."

Cassidy looked back and forth from James and Sabrina.

"What do you mean you can help?" James asked.

PK got up on the table. "Oh, believe me, she can help! You're looking at the strongest psychic conveyor on this planet, or any other for that matter."

Sabrina took Cassidy's hand and lead her to her chair. She sat her down, and kneeled in front of her. "PK, time her out, please... I don't want to hurt her."

"You got it!" he said. Instantly Cassidy froze in place.

"Hey!" James started to panic. "What did you do to her?"

PK put a hand up. "Please! She's fine! Just watch!"

Sabrina lowered the collar, revealing a scar from the tracheotomy she had gone through. Sabrina passed her hand over it, and it vanished. James' eyes widened. Meowth gasped.

Sabrina's eyes glowed as she worked on her subject. She gritted her teeth and knitted her brow as she repaired the damage she found. "My god, what they did!" she whispered two or three times.

"There!" she said, releasing her psychic lock she was working with. She nodded to PK, who snapped his fingers.

"Oh!" Cassidy said.

James leapt from his chair. "Cass! Say that again!"

"Oh!"

Cassidy couldn't say much more. James was kissing her too hard.

"Well," PK said with satisfaction, "that was fun! What next?"

---------------------------

Doctor Joy entered the house, followed by the Mew, who looked quite recovered from its ordeal. It swooped over to the crib, where it amused itself with the gurgling baby that was reaching up to it.

Meowth just stood and watched, mouth agape. "Would'ja lookit thot!" he said to himself.

"How's our patient?" PK asked the doctor.

"Sufficiently recovered, I would say," Joy said with a bit of peeve in her voice. "When I suggested that it should continue to rest, it shot the image of me sitting on top of it, not letting it get up into my mind!"

PK gave her a coy look. "Was that all?"

Joy looked down at the rodent. "The rest is covered by Doctor/Patient privilege!"

The Mew giggled. That is until the baby grabbed its tail.

Sabrina, who had taken leave to the sofa for a quick rest, sat up. "Any news from Captain Edwards?" she asked.

Joy shook her head. "Exeter hasn't been able to find the transponder from the Scat Back. They said a faint signal was found, but hasn't been found since. How about you?"

"We think we know what we're dealing with now," Kinza said. "The native Lugia is NOT the Lugia we are looking for. We think Black Lugia is a clone."

"A clone? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure… And it would explain a few things. As we've been able to discern, there hasn't been a Lugia on any level yet that co-exists with ghost Pokémon the way Black Lugia does. Well, what if it were genetically infused into a clone?"

"Why?"

"Because they're EVIL!" PK said. "Hey, it's in their charter!"

Sabrina looked over at the Mew Balloon hanging from the crib and stifled a snicker. "Mew, can you direct us to where you saw Rose last?" The Mew nodded a yes, but remained effectively captured in the hands of the baby.

"It's probably the Team Rocket Labs on the Orange Islands," said James, as he entered the room and then stood still, pointing. "That's a M-M-Mew! Anni's got it by the tail! Cass! Come look at this!"

Kinza pulled out a communicator. "Kinza to Exeter - concentrate your scans on the Orange Islands. Over..."

"A good choice," was the response from above. "There's a great deal of interference from out there. We'll check it out. Out."

"Look at that!" Cassidy exclaimed at the sight of the Mew hanging over her child. It purred and swayed, content with the hand clutching its tail. The child trilled with excitement.

"You people have been wondrous!" James said. "You've helped us fight off Team Rocket, you're restored my wife's voice, and now you've shown me one of the rarest of Pokémon! I'm forever in your debt. I must help you in your quest."

"How can you do that, James?" asked PK.

"I can show you around that lab on Orange Island. I've been there many times in the past."

The Exeter crew looked at one another.

"'Ey, they're gonna have ta get outta 'ere any ways! As soon as you's leave, Team Rocket'll be back, an' maybe even the TS!" Meowth added.

"Point to the cat," PK said.

Sabrina sighed then nodded. "Get the shuttle ready. We move out in10 minutes!"

James, Meowth and Cassidy huddled together, giggling and laughing at each other, then left the room, saying they needed to pack a small amount before leaving.

The Mew looked over at Sabrina, a tear running down its cheek. Sabrina needed to wipe one from her own. Kinza, PK and Joy all huddled near her.

"Are we going to tell them?" Kinza asked.

"No," Sabrina said. "No."

The Mew hung its head. It knew. It knew.

---------------------------

The shuttle made short work of the flight between the forest and the Orange Islands. James, Cassidy and Little Anni, still holding her Mew Balloon, sat in the rear, nervously waiting for the ship to land. Meowth was up in the cockpit watching the goings on. Kinza was in a small room off the main deck.

"Okay," he said into the com unit, "you'll take Exeter back into orbit and await our signal, right?"

"We'll be there. You take care Kinza!" came the response.

"Always, Caroline, always!" Kinza sat back in his chair and switch his com off. He had an itch that wouldn't go away, and this situation wasn't helping it any. The receiver then crackled with a general message.

"Exeter to all ships - Exeter to all ships - Return to Base 1. Repeat, return to Base 1. We will be heading into orbit in 15 minutes. Only the President's shuttle is to remain on surface. Repeat, ONLY the President's shuttle is to remain on the surface while operations are underway. Over."

15 minutes. The starship lifted up her bow and headed north. She would take position over the North Pole, using the planet's natural gravity well to hide it from any of history's scanners.

The shuttle's pilot looked over his readouts. "Heavy magnetic fluctuations ahead," he reported.

Meowth looked ahead out the wide window before them. "Whot's thot mean, mate?"

The pilot looked at the cat. "It means things are happening ahead."

"Peachy," Meowth said with a wink. "I'm up fer a bit of a scrape, ea?"

The pilot returned to his controls. "Whatever makes you happy!" He reached over and flicked a com switch. "Two minutes!" he said. Kinza and James entered the cockpit.

"Let's see what we've got..." Kinza said, switching a screen on and displaying scan readouts of the island they were approaching.

A horn sounded. "Incoming fire!" the pilot yelped, and dove the ship. A bright orb whizzed over the ship. Kinza quickly raised the shields as the orb detonated behind them.

PK entered the cockpit. "What was that!?" he said.

"Photon charge! I think we found Rose!" Kinza answered.

"Rose?" asked James.

"One of MANY reasons why we're here my friend!" Kinza said, patting James on the back.

PK wasn't happy being a target of a Photon Charge. "She wasn't trying to hit us, was she?"

"Don't think so... there are more shots being fired at ground level - ooooh! Here comes another one!"

The shuttle twisted around another shot, which again detonated behind them.

"I wish I knew whether to take us down or keep us up here!" the pilot quipped.

"How many rounds does that gun have?" PK asked, trying to keep his feet under him. He hadn't floated yet, and didn't want to spook James by doing so.

"I'd say about 10 rounds, if we're talking the same launcher. 'Course, that also depends on how many reloads she has."

PK shook his head. "She said she took a load of 50 PokéBalls with her. I wonder what happen to them."

Kinza just shrugged. James was reading the map that was being projected. "Here," he pointed. "Put her down here. We'll be protected by the rock wall on the back side of the island."

The pilot nodded. "It's pretty foggy back there... Get ready."

The shuttle dove into the sea fog that hugged the island and skimmed over the water. The pilot slowed the ship as he approached. Something felt wrong.

An alarm. "Proximity warning..." the pilot said, and stopped the forward momentum of the ship. He turned on a pair of fog lights and scanned the water.

They were bobbing up and down in the water below them. Three dead Gyarados and what was left of a Tentacruel. The sight was sickening. The shuttle moved on.

Another alarm. "Magnetic field is making the scans hard to read... Look out!"

The pilot put the shuttle into the water as the missing Scat Back dashed over top of them.

"Well, there goes the Mew back to get us..." PK said. "Take us in."

The shuttle lifted off the water, and continued towards the beach.

Meowth saw it first. "Good god..." was all he said.

PK keyed the intercom. "Doctor Joy to the cockpit!"

The beaches at Omaha, Iwo Jima (Io), or any old war footage of a battle landing - it looked like the equivalent with Pokémon. Bodies were strewn across the sands, some buried, others contorted and extended. Many could easily be seen to be dead. Some could be seen to be still moving. It was a horrible sight and Doctor Joy could only glance at it when she arrived in the cockpit. "Oh dear god, no!" she gasped, nearly crying at the sight.

The pilot leaned over to Kinza. "I've found a clear spot... I'm putting her down."

Joy composed herself. "I'll need to set up a triage... what sort of PokéBalls do you have on board?"

"I had a feeling this might happen," PK told her. "You'll find 4 cases of Medical Balls - but doctor, you'll need to work quickly. Collect those you can save then get back into the shuttle." PK looked at James, who was still looking out the window aghast. He took Joy aside.

"We're going to collect Rose and get out," he whispered, "that's it. We could be done in less than a minute or so."

Joy looked over at James. "What about them?"

PK dropped his head. "I don't know... We know this level is doomed. If we don't take them, they're as good as dead." PK felt the landing struts touch ground.

"Pilot, you're with Doctor Joy. Assist her. Kinza, James, let's go..."

Back in the rear private cabin, Sabrina sat cross-legged, meditating. She was clearing her thoughts - relaxing her mind - preparing for fate. The door chimed.

"Come..."

The door opened. Kinza looked in. Again, he found Sabrina had changed into her Gym Leader's uniform.

"You okay?" asked the Tomassamassa.

"I was remembering. Friends, relations... those I've loved... those I've fought... those who defeated me... I'm tired Kinza... so tired."

"Maybe you should stay here," Kinza suggested.

"No... no, this is my fight," she said, getting up from the ottoman she had been sitting on. "What's the situation?"

"Ugly," Kinza bluntly said.

"Yes..." she continued. "I saw it... a beach covered in blood. Horrible..."

"Are you sure you want to go?"

She looked at the ground. "Kinza... promise me... protect Pikachu. It is essential that he makes it through this."

Kinza had that itch again. He only nodded to Sabrina. Another one of those 'History's Daggers' Sabrina referred so often to. He hated those.

"Let's go," she said, tugging at her uniform to straighten it out.

The shuttle's door slid open. Instantly three beams shot out of it, and three Pokémon appeared.

"Charrrrrbok!"

"Weeze! Weeze!"

The third one howled.

Meowth stepped out. "Defensive positions!" he yelled. The Pokémon headed out in an arcing sweep. Meowth looked about then waved to the opened door. Joy popped out with Cassidy and the pilot, who was carrying one of the cases of Medical Balls.

Thunder and explosions could be heard in the distance. PK exited the ship then rose off the ground, much to Meowth and James' surprise. He looked at them and told them, "I'll explain later guys!" Mew joined him, and they headed for the wall of rock. Kinza followed, with Sabrina and James close behind.

"There's an opening to the labs in the wall ahead" James yelled while running, "but I don't know if it's open..."

Sabrina knitted her brow, and the wall vanished. James was impressed. "That'll do!"

Kinza moved to he left of the opening and pulled his gun. PK and Mew edged up to the right. James went in the middle, brazenly entering the doorway, giving a quick look to the left and right. He waved for everyone to follow and entered. James went towards the left. Mew looked at where he was going and headed right, after giving James a psychic tap on the shoulder.

"James, where were you going?" Sabrina whispered loudly.

"Managerial Offices and Control Rooms are this way."

"What's that way?" she asked pointing at the waiting Mew.

"Labs... Tech labs and testing centers..."

"Mew!" the floating cat chirped.

Kinza looked at the critter floating there. "How come it can't talk with you about, PK?"

The Pikachu gave Kinza a smirk. "It chooses not to."

"Ah!"

Sabrina looked at the Mew with concern. "I'll go with Mew... you three check out the offices - see what you can find.

PK felt a cold wave pass over him. Sabrina shot him a quick glance, and he reluctantly gave a slight nod. James and Kinza continued on. PK started to follow, but quickly dashed over to Sabrina, and gave her a hug and a peck on her cheek.

"Take care, Madam President... Goodbye..."

Before she could say anything, PK darted away and around a corner.

"Goodbye..."

---------------------------

The offices were a wreck. Something large had been tromping through it, leaving large holes in the desks, walls and what have you. Kinza looked at them. They were not what he expected.

"This isn't by any Pokémon," he said, examining a larger hole nearby. James and PK joined him.

"How can you tell?" James asked.

"Look at the impact impression - the angles, the shape... This was a mechanical."

James nodded. "That's possible." He stood up and continued on, leaving PK and Kinza looking at one another. "Here it is!" he said from around another corner.

Kinza and PK came around the toppled desks and furniture to James' side. There, partly impaled into the wall, was a large mech-suit. It had been thrashed fairly well, and obviously had hit the wall after being sent through the wall behind them. Kinza looked out the hole and saw a huge cavern. He could see building shapes across from them, some smoking. Looking up, he saw the opening of a volcano.

"Whoa... hot stuff!"

"Jesse!"

"What?" Kinza said, turning to see James had opened the visor of the mech-suit.

"Jesse! Jesse! Answer me Jess!"

PK attempted to sensed anything, but the suit prevented any good readings. Kinza came over and checked things out.

"Here we go... a service and diagnostics port." He keyed a switch, and a small screen came alive. "She's still with us... barely... The suit has a life support mode... I'm switching it on..."

Jesse's eye opened, as she gasped and took great breaths. Kinza reached down and adjusted some of the controls.

James was getting a bit panicked. "We've got to get her out of this thing!" he said, looking for a release switch.

Kinza grabbed his hand. "NO, you DON'T want to do that!" he ordered as he read his scanner. "The life support systems in this suit are the only thing keeping her alive. IT'S pumping her blood right now. IT just released a bonding gel throughout the arm and leg units to support her broken bones. Release her from this, and she will die."

"An amazing piece of technology, isn't it?" Jesse said, trying to move her head, but only craning her neck slightly.

"Yes it is ma'am," Kinza replied. "But, unfortunately, in this mode, you can't move."

She put her head back. "Yes, unfortunately, the Life Boat function does have its drawbacks." She again craned her neck to look down at Kinza. "Who are you?"

"My ship came back and got me!"

"Ship?" Jesse asked then realized what he meant. "The ship! That girl! She was right! She said that she had 'borrowed' that ship of hers! Is it yours?"

Kinza got up and looked in the visor. "Oh, I do hope you mean Rose Musashi!"

"You DO know her!" Jesse said. "What - what about the Mew? What happened to the Mew?"

"The Mew's fine. It's here with us."

"NO! NO! NO!" Jesse shrieked, nearly crying. "IT'S GOT TO BE REMOVED! FOR ALL OUR SAKES! GET THAT MEW OUT OF HERE! IT'S OUR ONLY HOPE!"

James turned Jesse's head towards himself. "Jesse! Jesse, what happened? What did you do?"

"James!" she said, a bit dopey. "James! My dear sweet James!"

Kinza didn't like the sounds of this. He looked down at the screen and saw systems failures across the board. "We're loosing her!" he warned.

James shot him a look then returned to Jesse. "Jesse, please! You have to tell us! What happened? Where is the Black Lugia?"

Jesse glared at James. "Where did you find out about the Black Lugia?" she demanded.

"Ma'am," Kinza said, "I'm from the future, and a different dimensional level to boot! We're LIVING your Black Lugia! We need to know about it! We've discerned that it was a clone made from the DNA of the natural Lugia of this level."

Jesse nodded. "Y-you're correct... I had the geneticists create our own Lugia using the DNA extracted from the feathers James and Meowth had obtained. But something went wrong during the initial electro-static charge over the DNA pool..."

"Okay, a standard procedure - infusing the DNA with energy..."

PK gave Kinza a look. "Is there anything you DON'T know about?"

"Hey, they teach us that in Middle School!"

Jesse continued, "It seems that the electro-static generator drew in a Haunter while infusing the DNA with energy. The Haunter got infused into the Lugian DNA. The professors never knew it until the final process! They thought the black body was a slight DNA error...

"Then this girl shows up with some story that the Black Lugia had killed her father. She somehow found this Mew - It was how she got into this complex - along with that ship of yours!"

"It's on loan," Kinza mumbled.

"Quite! - COUGH! - Huhhh!"

Kinza adjusted what he could. "I'm sorry ma'am... please hurry."

"While my security and I were questioning her, the Black Lugia awoke. My god, she was right... The beast seemed to have had the Haunter's powers infused into its own Lugian powers. It could absorb life force energies, and in some cases, actually take on some of the absorbed powers as well. After it killed the technicians, it raided the DNA Pools, and the livestock pens. In there, it ate a Raichu..."

"Oh boy..." PK said. "We know where THAT'S going!"

"What?" asked James.

Kinza glared at him. "The Lugia would have developed electric sacks under its eyes - After absorbing the energies of all the life forces around, Black Lugia could then fire off a beam strong enough to destroy that starship you saw earlier!"

Jesse coughed again. "That's why we must get that Mew away. Lugia tried to absorb it earlier. If it manages to do so... with its psychic abilities..."

"...It would gain unimaginable powers!" James finished her thought.

PK chirped.

"Hiccups?" Kinza asked.

"No... Mew isn't the only psychic here right now... With her powers, Sabrina is a match, if not STRONGER than that Mew..."

"The PRESIDENT!" Kinza yelped, getting up and almost running out of the room. He quickly turned about. "We can't just leave Jesse like this! What are we gonna do?"

"Turn me off!" Jesse said. James grabbed her.

"Are you out of your mind? You'll die!" he yelled

"James, that will happen either way. It's only a matter of time... And if I understand what they are saying, it doesn't matter anyway. If Black Lugia gets those powers, it will destroy this planet, and many others... it must be stopped..."

"Jesse..." James said, a tear running down his cheek.

She nodded. She then touched her right thumb to the tip of the forefinger on the suit's gloved hand. A beep was heard. "Computer... shut down life support systems..."

"Affirmative," it monotone back. The light on the small screen went dark.

"James..." she said. "Goodbye..."

James kissed his former partner.

"Now... get out of here..." she said, closing her eyes. "I'd rather... not... have you see me die..."

James shook his head, then he and the others left. Jesse watched them leave then closed her visor.

---------------------------

Like everything else, the labs were a wreck. Mew and Sabrina floated about sensing and searching. Sabrina only found bodies. But unlike her later run-ins with the Red Haunter's victims, these were gory, bloody messes that were torn and heaved.

"It's nice to know Black Lugia's manners improve in the future..." she said to herself. Mew chirped.

_PUUU!_

"Photon charge! And close by!" yelled Sabrina.

"This way," a psychic message was sent to her by Mew. A flash of light around the corner made the directions moot. It was followed by yet another sound that tore into Sabrina's soul, and scared the life out of her - An electrical arcing thunderbolt that singed the ears and weakened the heart.

_BARRZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAPPH!!_

_BRRRRRZZZZZZAAAARRROOPH!_

_ZZZZZZEERRRRSH!!_

_PUUU!_

A roar came from around that corner. It seemed that the Photon Charge had found its mark. Something struck the other side of the rock wall, and a few stones fell around Sabrina and Mew.

"Die, you bastard! DIE!"

"I think we've found Rose..." Mew sent to Sabrina.

"No! NO!" came a yell from around the corner. They quickly headed around the stone edifice.

On its back on one side of the large open lab was Black Lugia, mad as hell, and about to get back up and attack again. On the other was Rose, standing on a catwalk, banging heavily on a Photon Launcher.

"Mew, quickly, bring down the roof on Lugia! I'll get Rose!"

Mew nodded, charged its energy orbs, and sent volley after volley into the stone roof. Huge chunks of rock and stone crashed down on the black beast below.

"Mew! Aunt Sabrina!" Rose cried.

"You're right, my dear... I AM sore!" Sabrina said sternly as she reminded her about her message she had sent with the Mew. She then winked.

"I'm out of Photon Charges," Rose said as she continued to smack the side of the launcher.

"Well, at least this time I see you're wearing the shielded goggles that are NEEDED for such things!"

Rose didn't have time to respond. A lightning bolt shot out from the rock debris and struck the catwalk, flinging Sabrina to one side, and Rose to the other.

The Mew went to Rose's side. The concussion had knocked the girl out. It purred and stroked her in worried concern. It then covered Rose with its energy shield, defending its friend from the menace that was unearthing itself.

Sabrina raised her aura. Black Lugia, who was looking at Mew from under the stone switched menus. It sensed the energy coming from this new source and wanted it.

Mew also felt this. It fired a psychic bolt at the creature, blasting the stone and making it once again, the target of its ire.

Sabrina saw the yellow spots under its eyes glow with rage, and saw its intended targets. She instantly put her own deflection field over Mew's own shield. Lugia fired its bolts, which bounced off Sabrina's energy orb. The Mew huddled behind Rose, peering over to see if Sabrina was still there.

"Mew?" it cooed through the energy discharge. Sabrina nodded eyes afire.

She reared back, energy and light drawing into her body from all directions. Kinza, PK and James entered the room near Rose and Mew, and saw Sabrina floating in midair. It almost looked as if she had wings of fire and energy on her back. Almost simultaneously, Sabrina and Lugia fired. Their energy blast encircled one another in mid room, touching the roof, which melted.

Kinza, shielding his eyes, yelled "If that thing detonates in here, we're as good as toast!"

PK understood, and jumped to the middle of the room.

"PIIIIIIKAAAAAACHUUUUUUUUU!!!!!" he shrilled. A torrent of energy shot skyward, adding itself to the energy orb, but also pushing it out of the room.

Exeter remained over the pole. Suddenly, the southern hemisphere erupted in light.

"1200 terawatt energy burst was just sent into the stratosphere, Captain!"

Caroline shook her head. "Stand by - rescue procedures!"

Sabrina was weary, and a bit singed. She awoke draped across a rock, a stone on her legs. A quick psychic jolt removed the stone. Her right leg was injured, but that didn't last long, as she quickly repaired the gash. She turned to survey the situation, and found Lugia about to eat her!

One energy orb to the head.

Another to the torso.

A third to the left wing, a forth to the right.

And for a finale, another mega thundershock from the enraged PK.

Mew had come to Sabrina's aid. Perhaps this could be finished before it ever started.

"Let's end this now," she said.

Again, Sabrina reared back, drawing energies from all about. Her aura extended all around, covering everyone. She then formed it into a massive orb. She looked down at the beast that had taken so many lives.

Be done!

"NO!" came a yell from above, but after Sabrina had sent the orb on its flight.

It hit Black Lugia, enveloping the creature.

Sabrina looked up. Flying overhead was a mech-suit.

"Jesse?"

"Not quite dead yet, James dear!" the mechanoid suit said then turned back to Sabrina. "Fool!"

The Psychic gave the mech a stern scowl. "Why? What has happened?"

"You have doomed us all! That's all!"

Sabrina was getting a bit angered at the unknown suit, and returned to her first objective. A tweak of her brow, and flick of her hands, and the orb surrounding the Lugia contorted and shrank, compressing its occupant.

"Oh, very well, if you must try to destroy it that way, be my guest!" yelled Jesse. "But don't let me say that I told you so!"

Sabrina now saw what the suit was referring to. Six Red Haunters now appeared from the back side of the room, and started attending to their master. They began to absorb the energy being sent against Black Lugia. Sabrina clenched her fist, and the orb constricted more. Lugia roared in pain.

"Here it comes!" the mech-suit said, pulling a spear out from its backpack storage shunt.

Six more Haunters appeared. "Mew! Psychic wave! Get rid of those Haunters!" Sabrina gritted.

"Mew!" said the floating cat. It fired a burst that knocked four of the six new Haunters away, dispersing them. It did another, and another, but couldn't get close enough to the ones within Sabrina's aura field.

"Mew!" it yelped. Sabrina felt its psychic message, and agreed.

"She's right," Sabrina yelled. "The Haunters are preventing me from crushing the Black Lugia! PK, Kinza, James, get Rose out of here!"

The Mew floated over to Rose, and again set up its energy orb, this time containing Kinza and James as well. PK stood his ground, until he found himself within an energy orb as well, and was unceremoniously tossed into Mew's orb.

"I said GO!" Sabrina yelled, again placing her own orb around Mew's, launching the group out the hole in the roof.

"NO!" shrieked PK. "NOOOO!!!" Sabrina heard her friend bellowing and shrills disappear into memory.

"Okay lady!" she said to the mech-suit. "In my universe, you and I were good friends."

"Really..." Jesse smirked.

Sabrina smiled and gave the suit a wink. "Let's show this beast what Banshees we can be!"

"You're my kind of lady! Let's go!"

---------------------------

On the beach, Joy, Cassidy and the pilot had found as many Pokémon as they could alive, and were loading them into the shuttle. They were suddenly greeted by the striking of the sand by Sabrina's orb, which deposited it's cargo with a thud.

"Where's the President?" asked Joy.

Kinza only gave a stern look at her. "Pilot, emergency launch, NOW!"

"NO!" shouted PK. "I've got to save her!"

Kinza grabbed PK. "SHE told me to protect you. You knew she wasn't coming back. SHE knew..."

PK nearly launched a thundershock, but broke down instead. "No... no... no..."

Kinza assisted the electric mouse onto the shuttle. "Get us out of here pilot... I don't think there's going to be much left of this place shortly..."

The shuttle lifted off, clearing the island with much haste.

The mech-suit lay in shambles on one side of the room, it occupant torched by a Hunter's wave. The spear it had been carrying was still in the Lugia, which plucked it out with much pain. It bellowed a yell, and looked at its next target.

Sabrina looked up, and saw an approaching shadow. She smiled. "Watch the birdie!" she said to herself.

The Lugia reared back, and a horde of Haunters formed a wall between it and Sabrina's final attack.

The shuttle flew on. Behind them, the island disappeared, as did a part of the ocean, four nearby islands and a cruise ship.

---------------------------

Sabrina had been working that afternoon with Jesse on her psychic powers when it struck her. A blast of memories and psychic powers in a shock so hard it floored her then tossed her across the room. She awoke some hours later, Jesse, James and Professor Oak all looking over her. She grabbed Jesse and cried the rest of the night.

---------------------------

"We are gathered here today to honor the passing of our President, Sabrina Natsumi," the newly sworn in President Brock said in his inaugural-memorial speech to the Stratus League. "Let it be noted that she gave her life in the defense of this league, and the worlds as we know it."

The moment of silence that followed seemed to haunt PK and Rose. They thought it would never go away.

---------------------------

"We're letting you in on one of our dirty rotten secrets," Kinza said to his passengers.

"How so?" the James he had just rescued asked.

"Well, Exeter and Forrestal operate as emissaries between dimensional levels, but one of the things we rarely tell our hosts is the fact that they aren't the top dimensional level."

"You've got me confused now... what do you mean?"

"Well, how would you feel if you knew that you had someone standing on you, dimensionally wise? Or worse, that your entire life was something written by someone else in a dimension directly above yours?"

"Ew," said Meowth. "Deep!"

"Deep..." Kinza continued. "As it is, we decided to keep your little group safe, that we'd house you in one of our own worlds, where Black Lugia shouldn't come after you. Only drawback is, no Pokémon."

"Fine with me," Cassidy said with a bit of satisfaction at the thought. "Do you know how habit forming those things are?"

"Ummph!" Kinza had that itch again.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak

Skat Backs, UNS Exeter, Elb Kinza, UNS Forrestal, Captain Caroline Edwards ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission

'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0706.21


	11. Branded

_Well, this is different! This story introduces some other pivotal characters that were created for another poster on the Team Rocket BBS (Ms. Ayako)! It was originally planned as an independent story, but first, the two characters were added to this story, then the planned intro of these same characters to the Lugia plot-line brought them to this point..._

_Confusin' ain't it? Don't Panic!_

_Enjoy!_

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S **

**Chapter Eleven **

**Branded **

**By R. A. Stott**

_**Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft and R. A. Stott**_

It's not my fault...

Please, I'm a nice Pokémon!

Oh, please... I need help... Please...

Don't throw sticks, child! Please... Where is my master? Where is my Kimmy?

I scampered through the mad and angry crowd. Only moments earlier they had been ooing at me. I had darted into the town square, evading my captors only moments earlier. They dare not come into this crowded place, or they might endure the beating that I am getting.

Please! Please! I'm a lost Pokémon! I'm really nice, friendly - I mean you no har... YIPE!

A foot hit the sore spot on my right hip. The pain shoots through me, and I stumble to the ground.

"Look at it! Kill it!"

Even through the pain, I know what that means... Pokémon know what humans say and what it means. But I can't move. I wait the striking of the stick the human is carrying.

"NO!"

The pain is still great. I thought I heard someone say no... I feel hands wrap around my belly - small hands... my Kimmy? I don't know. I still can't bring myself to open my eyes, slammed shut by fear and pain.

We're running! I feel the small feet of my savior pounding the ground. I hear angry humans close behind.

"Kill it! Kill it! It has the mark! It's one of them! Kill it!"

I'm not 'one of them'! I'm not - what did they call me... I'm not Number 6! I have a name! I have a master! I want to go home!

The child slid one way, dove under something then started running again. I squinted a look at the face of my new friend. Alas, it's not my Kimmy.

It's a young boy, scruffy and messed, like most boys his age. My guess he's about 6, maybe 8. ARGH! And he just adjusted me by grabbing my right hip!

I shouldn't complain... He is trying to save my life! I weakly lick his chin.

"Don't worry, Eevee! I'll save you!"

Well, at least he knows what I am... But does he know who I belong to? Right now, who cares... I snuggle in for the ride.

I must have dozed off. I awaken to the sight of a bedroom, decorated in assorted Pokémon League posters, Pokémon toys, and an Eevee clock that is barking at me.

Oh dear... instincts take over... "Vee! Vee! Vee!" I bark back. I quickly find those small hands around my mouth!

"Eevee, quiet! Mom..." is all the young boy said.

"Honey?" came a call from outside the door across the room. "Is that your clock? It's so loud!"

I suddenly found myself being stuffed under the bed sheets - OUCH! He got that sore again!

I could hear the door open. "Honey, what's that in your bed?" I guess I wasn't keeping still enough for him!

"Err, nothing!" was the boy's response. Oh dear, that sure wasn't going to work, son! One of my big ears pops out from under the covers.

"Samuel Edward Oak, what is that?" the voice asked.

Obviously, Samuel Edward had been caught in the act... He started to remove the covers from on top of me, but he also was making sure to show my left side and hide my right to whomever that was behind... Oh!

Samuel removed the final bed sheet from my head, and I was given a point-blank greeting with who I assume was his mother. She is a pretty lady, blond with big blue eyes. I licked her nose.

"An Eevee! Samuel, where did you find an Eevee!?" Mom yelped as she backed away from the nose swabbing.

"Out in the forest!" Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... Samuel... "Can I keep him?"

"Samuel, Samuel, Samuel! What have I told you about bringing Pokémon home with you?" Mom was scolding young Samuel. He may not be my Kimmy, but he was a safer person to be with than those thugs that had me earlier! I turned on my charm!

"Vee? Vee? Veee! Pppveeee!" I cooed. Ah, the look on Mom's face told everything! Cuteness won again!

"Samuel, how you get these Pokémon to come with you without a PokéBall, I don't know!" she said, shaking her head. "At least this one doesn't slither! Okay... but I want you to find out if he belongs to anyone before we start building an Eevee House for him, hear me?"

"Yes mommy!" the delighted child squealed. Mom petted me on the head and stroked my chin... ahh, just like my Kimmy... I dozed off again.

Later that day, I managed to be given the tour of the home. Even though Samuel's mom said he brought Pokémon home with him on a regular basis, I saw no signs of other critters about. I suppose his mom insisted on a method of catch and release. I was just happy to be safe.

It was a plain little home in a suburban neighborhood, nothing special about it. Samuel seemed to be the only child in the house, but the neighborhood seemed to teem with kids.

"Now I want you to stay here in the house, Eevee!" Samuel told me. "At least until that thing on your leg heals, okay?"

"Vee!" I agreed. I must find out what that was that they did to me.

I wandered through the house, and found my way up in the bedroom again. There, I found a picture of myself! At least I think it's a picture of myself... It looks like me... It moves... IT MOVES LIKE ME! That's not ME! That's ANOTHER EEVEE!

"VEE! VEE! VEE! VEE! VEE!"

Samuel popped into the room and started to laugh. "Eevee, why are you barking at that mirror?"

Mirror? What the heck is a mirror? I looked back at the other Eevee, and standing above him was Samuel! Well, at least it looked like Samuel - only his hair went the other way... Oh, this is confusing! "VEE! VEE! VEE!"

"Eevee, it's just a mirror! See?" My Samuel reached over, as did the other Samuel! Then... My Samuel knocked the surface of something hard, as did the other Samuel! I went over and sniffed my other's nose. Nothing! There wasn't anything there! How strange! A moving picture! I sat and just looked at it for awhile. Samuel, laughing at his silly Eevee, went out of the room.

After awhile, I bored of looking at myself in the moving picture thing. I got up and started to continue my tour of the home - but something caught my eye. The picture of myself had an injury. His hind leg had a strange marking on it, and it obviously had bled a little, as his fur was stuck in some places with dried blood. I looked back at where I was sore. It was hard to look back there, as I was still stiff. Sure enough, I had something there as well, and it smelled nasty - like something had burned... burned there... Oh dear... I laid down and washed the area as well as I could. Oh, that hurt...

"Eevee! Din-din!" was yelled up the stairs to me. Food! Yes, I think I'll stay!

At the bottom of the stair, Samuel picked me up and carried me into the kitchen. I didn't know why until I saw where he put my food.

His mom had gone out and picked up some Purina PokéChow, and had put some in a cereal bowl. Samuel moved the bowl to a spot where my right side wouldn't be visible to anyone who saw me eating. Samuel put me down so I was close to the wall. This wasn't the best location... it was near the doorway to the dining room, and I was sure to be in the way.

"Samuel, honey, why are you feeding Eevee there? Wouldn't it be better to feed him over there?" she said, pointing towards the much better far corner of the room. She began to reach down to move the bowl.

I knew what Samuel was doing. I quickly wolfed down my meal, so I wouldn't need to go over to that corner.

"Vblub!" I croaked, as I attempted to swallow the food, and casually trotted out of the room, much to Mom's surprise.

That night, I laid curled on Samuel's legs in his bed. I had slept most of the day, when I wasn't checking out the house. And that night, I was wide awake, lost in thought. Kimmy... where was my Kimmy... She had raised me from a pup. And the last time I saw her, she was crying for me... Kimmy...

A snap... With ears as large as mine, nothing can be missed. I got up, trying to keep from disturbing Samuel. I skipped down the stairs and to a large window in the living room. I peeked out and nearly had someone looking right back at me! I quickly ran back upstairs then I ran into the bathroom. There was a window over the toilet. I climbed it and looked out.

The moon lit up the neighborhood. I could see 6 or 7 black figures moving through the houses. I trained my ears on them.

"Arcanine, go!" one whispered, and released a Pokémon from its ball. A large fiery dog appeared, and began to sniff around. For something so large, it moved quietly.

Then I saw its right hip. There was the same odd marking on it that I had. I shivered in fear.

As I watched them, I hunkered down into a small ball of fur to hide myself from prowling eyes. The Arcanine moved on, while a few of the humans below me put on strange things over their eyes. They were odd looking extensions that glowed green. One of the humans looked up my way. I squeezed down hard.

"There's something up there," he whispered...

Another human looked up at me with his green glowing eyes. "Too high," he said, "and it's just probably their pet or something. Remember, we're looking for the escapees... We don't want to wake anyone!"

I watch as the humans move on. I breathed again. I start to get down from my perch.

A fiery flash of light from behind the house across the street gets my attention again. I see something dart out from behind the house and head for the street. It's the Charmander I escaped with! Torchlight! I've got to help him! I've got to help him!

A singed Scyther leaped over the roof of the house and landed in front of the fleeing Pokémon. Torchlight scrambled to a halt before its larger green foe, eyeing it, ready to battle.

Another black shirted human ran from behind the house. He's pointing at Torchlight! Something in front of him flashes! The Charmander chirped slightly, stiffened rigidly as if just struck by someone in the spine... Its tail flared, then... Oh dear, it WENT OUT! My friend! My friend fell over in a heap.

The Scyther moved closer to the body and nudged it with her sharp bladed forearms. There was no response.

"HISSSSSS! SCYYYYYYYSTHER!" What's this? The Scyther is angry! It's a good thing the humans couldn't understand it, as what she just said was rather un-lady like!

The first Black Shirt came out from behind the house. "Scyther, what's wrong?" he whispered.

"SCYTHHSER! SCYTHHSER!! HISSSSSSS!!" I'm not sure, but I think she said something like "Try to get this one..."

"Scyther, return!" the lead Black Shirt commanded, wrenching her back into her PokéBall. He then went over to the body of the Charmander.

He reached down and pulled something from the body. "Idiot! Didn't you check what that thing was loaded with before coming out here!?" he whispered angrily at the human that had flashed earlier.

No response.

"This is for a CHARIZARD!" he said, holding up what looked like a dart. "The poor critter probably was dead before it hit the ground!" He shook his head. "You're the one who's going to have to report to the Corporal!"

I saw and heard the 'idiot' curse and stomp back and forth in angry disbelief that he'd done something so stupid. Serves you right!

"Okay... We still have 2 others to find! YOU!" The leader of the Black Shirts was pointing at the shooter. "Take this body to the campground and wait our return! Let's move out!"

I get down from the window as the humans disperse. I'm shaking in fear and anger. I can feel my heart pounding. I wish I could cry.

I enter Samuel's room - There's someone there! I can see the silhouette in front of the window! I dive for a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of the room. Good, the intruder's back was to me! She doesn't see me! But I keep a hard watch on her! She's very young... she can't be 10, maybe 11...

Samuel rolls over in his bed. The intruder freezes in position. My heart! It's pounding so hard!

Samuel settles. The intruder moves towards the far corner of the room. I see the glow of green from her face. What are those things they wear? They give me the creeps!

While she's over looking in Samuel's closet, I quietly move under his bed. A good thing too, as she came out of the closet and instantly went over to the pile of clothes and nudged through them!

My ears pick up something... Something beeped, and now someone is saying "Myamoto, where are you?" The girl tapped something on her head then started pressing a box on her arm. "Get out of there, we're moving out!" the voice then said. She sighed and left the room. I never heard her footfalls... amazing!

After making sure there was no one left about, I dragged myself back to the foot of Samuel's bed. Neither he nor his Mom had heard what had happened. It was probably just as well. I fell asleep, exhausted.

I must have been completely zonked. I awoke to the cheery cry of "Bye-bye, Eevee! I'll see you after school!" as Samuel bounded down the stairs. I groggily stretched, then washed myself.

"Eevee! Breakfast!" Samuel's Mom was calling... I guess I'll find out what she wants. I trundle down the steps and into the kitchen.

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead! Did you have a good night's rest?" Mom was a bit too chipper... I guess I'll get used to it! She placed my food bowl with a fresh supply of PokéChow down.

"Vee! Vee!" I thanked her. She was going to spoil me for sure!

Maybe it was just because I wasn't fully awake, but I never noticed that Mom had put the bowl down over where she had wanted it the night before. I was just starving, and needed food. I stuck my head into the bowl, and started eating.

A dinner knife struck the ground with a clatter. I was a bit startled, but my hunger kept me eating. While munching, I looked over at where the knife had come from. There, Mom was looking at me with wide - frightened eyes... Why frightened?

"Vee?" I asked.

"No - no, Eevee, y-you just keep eating!" she said, the fear boiling over in her voice. Why was she frightened? She left the room. I took another bite of food, and listened. I could hear her fumbling with something over there. Now she was talking to someone...

"H-hello, Pokémon Center? Yes, this is Mrs. Oak out on Route 21... Yes Samuel's mother... yes... please, I need your help... well, it's like this... Ah… Samuel... well, you know how he loves to bring home Pokémon he finds... Yes, just like that Ekans... well, yesterday, he brought home another Pokémon... no, not another snake... no, this time he brought home a darling little Eevee..."

I peeked around the corner. Mom was talking into some sort of black thing which was attached to the wall by a coiled rope... The strange things humans do... But the closer I got to her, the more I could hear. The black thing was talking back to her!

"An Eevee?" came the voice from the black thing. "Those are rather rare around here!"

"I know," Mom said. "I thought someone must have lost it... Samuel was only going to keep it until we found its owners..."

"Well, that would be nice of you. We're a bit full down h..." the black thing said.

"You don't understand... This morning, when I put his food down, I saw something on the Eevee..."

On me? What... oh dear... she saw my leg!

"What did you see, Mrs. Oak?"

"This Eevee has a branding mark on it - an R!"

I heard the voice on the black thing get serious. "Where is it now, Mrs. Oak?"

"Eating in the kitchen - oh, it looked so sweet, too..."

"A Team Rocket Pokémon is usually anything but sweet, Mrs. Oak... Please remember that..."

I quickly went back to my bowl. I ate everything I could. I then saw the bag of food near the doorway. I jumped into it, and ate a few more mouthfuls. This might be the last food I get for awhile.

Poor Samuel. He's probably going to get an earful when he gets home tonight!

Fortunately, Kimmy had trained me a bit. And the only thing between me and the outside world was a screen door. I readied myself, and hit it with a quick attack. I became a brown streak between the house and the forest beyond. Sorry about the door Mom...

It rained hard that night. I had seen the strangely dress humans that had come to my temporary home, some with Growliths in tow. I didn't want to be around when they let them loose. But as I turned to head further into the forest, I saw Samuel. I know what school is... Kimmy would go to school and come back much later in the day... this was much too early for him to be home... I'm sorry Samuel... it looks like he's crying... I've got to go...

The wet just made things more miserable. I slogged through the mud. The food I ate earlier had been burned off long ago. I missed my Kimmy. I missed Samuel too. I'm not a bad Pokémon... can't they see that?

"Well, there you are," came a voice from above me.

I looked up, but the rain kept splattering in my face. "Who's up there?" I asked.

"It's just me." I heard the flapping of wings then something covered my wet head. I looked up and saw a Pidgeotto.

"Aero! You made it!"

"Yea, but you look quite water-logged!" the bird said to me. Thank Flareon's mane Pokémon can understand one another!

"This rain doesn't seem to bother you, does it?"

The Pidgeotto stood proud and gave me a wink. "Rain off a Psyduck's back, I guess... And since I am a fellow bird Pokémon, well..."

"...You don't get that bedraggled look!" I finished for him.

"Come on, you'll need a better place to stay dry in than under my wing!" We started walking towards some covered brush.

"They killed Torchlight," I finally said.

"I know, I saw..." Aero said. "I was almost ready to fly in to his defense when that human shot him... I'm sorry... How did you see it?"

"I was in the house in front of where it happened. I had been saved by a little boy earlier. Samuel... He was keeping me safe."

Aero looked at me with concern. "What went wrong?" he asked.

I showed him my right hip.

"Oh feathers and beaks! You've been marked!"

I looked up at the bird Pokémon. He'd been around. He had evolved. So, if there was anyone who I could ask for help, Aero was the one.

"Will it ever go away?" I asked, half pleading.

Aero dropped his head. "I'm afraid that it will be with you forever. I'm not sure, but even if you evolve, it would stay with you."

Bummer. I laid down and whimpered.

"Hey, hey... Like I said, I'm not sure. Evolving just might get rid of it!"

I looked up at my friend. "I'm an Eevee... Just how do Eevees evolve?"

"Hummm..." the bird thought. "You types need a stone..."

"Specific stones," I interjected. "Thunder, Water or Fire stones."

The bird scratched a gnat. "What would happen if you used a different stone?"

"Ea? Such as..."

"How about a Moon Stone?"

I mused this. "Probably nothing... I'm not sure. Why?"

Aero pointed to one side. "Mount Moon is close by. We could fly up there once the rain stops and see what happens."

"It's a thought... but don't you need a full moon for those things to work?"

The bird laughed. "Timing, son, timing! The full moon's tomorrow!"

"How do you know that?" I asked with a bit of skepticism.

"I'm a bird! We have built in clocks for such things!"

"What's a clock?"

Aero swatted me with a wing. "Go to sleep you! You'll need to be up early in the morning for a trip to Mount Moon!"

It sure wasn't as comfortable as Samuel's bed, but knowing I had Aero here felt reassuring. I dozed off.

Daylight blazed into the thicket. Normally, that would have been enough to awaken anyone, but my rise and shine came from the snarling muzzle of an Arcanine, and the slicing of the thicket's canopy by a Scyther!

"You don't have to do this!" I yelped at her, frightened for my life! "Y-you didn't want to kill that Charmander! Don't let them take me!"

"I have little choice," the Scyther said to me sadly. I then saw that she had obviously been beaten. I sat back, resigned to my fate.

"There you are Number 6!" came the voice I recognized as the leader of the group that had killed Torchlight. A large burly hand grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and hauled me out of the thicket's remains. "Corporal Yoshida, we found Number 6!"

"Very well," a tall slender woman in dark red said. She was the only one in this type of dress, which made her stand out in the crowd of Black Shirts. "Any sign of the bird?"

"We still haven't seen it, Ma'am! It is a bird - I would think it would have flown away by now..."

Yoshida turned towards the Black Shirt leader. "Considering your performance the other night, and the fact that you DO know that it IS a bird, I wouldn't doubt that for a moment!"

Then I saw it... She was holding it like a stick, swinging it around, sticking it under her arm, bringing it out, and twirling it. It was the same stick she had touched me with the other day when the pain had started! Now, she was pointing it at the Black Shirt that was holding me!

"Now, Private, I want you to find that bird! It's special! And Team Rocket needs special!"

She pressed a button on one end of the stick. The other end turned a cherry red! That's what happened to me!

"WAAAAAWKKK AAAAWWWWWWK!!"

Something just snatched me from the Black Shirt's grasp! Wha... HELLO! WHAT ARE THE TREES DOING BELOW ME!?

"There's that bird!" Yoshida yelled, stabbing the stick into the Black Shirt. "Follow them!! Follow them!!"

I finally managed to look up. Aero! He had me in his talons!

"Aero! Where were you!?"

"Hey, the early bird catches the worms!" he chirped back.

I didn't need to hear that... "Thanks! I think I'll skip breakfast!"

I was flying backwards, as Aero had grabbed me by my scruff. As uncomfortable as this was, it did help in one aspect... I could see what was coming!

"Aero, they just sent out a Fearrow!"

"Did they?" the Pidgeotto said, less than impressed. "It will never keep up with me! Hang on!"

"Wha - whaaa - WHAAAA!" I found myself being tossed forwards and above Aero. He then proceeded to loop me, and gently drop me onto his back! If I had any food, I would have been sick right there, right then!

"Okay fuzzball! Hold onto something tight, and I'll show you WHY they want me as well!"

One stroke - two strokes - three strokes! Aero's wings seared the sky and blistered the wind! We left the Fearrow behind in a blaze of PidgeColors!

At the speed Aero was going, Mount Moon came up on us quickly. I was completely out of breath when he finally slowed down. He swooped down over a stream at the base of the mountain. Why is he getting so close to the water?

By Flareon's Mane! He just grabbed a fish!

We glide over to the bank of the stream. Aero dropped the fish, and let me get off his back.

"Eat!" he said. "You're going to need your strength tonight!"

I looked at the jumping and leaping fish. "It's still alive!" I said, gagging a bit.

Aero sighed, snatched the fish in a talon, and flung it against a tree. "Now, it isn't! Eat!"

"Thanks a bunch!" I mumbled. I went over to the still twitching fish, now covered in dirt and bark. I picked it up by its tail, dragged it over to the water's edge, washed off what I could then pulled it back to shore. Ah well, I guess I'll have to get used to such meals.

Surprisingly, it was rather tasty - A bit on the bland side, but filling.

"We have a visitor," Aero said.

"Where?" I said, looking up from the meal.

"Across the stream from us. I think she may have seen us land here, she's got that rather shocked look on her face!"

I looked across the stream. Sure enough, there was a young girl there, along with her campsite. She was dressed in a jumpsuit of sorts - greenish blue pants with suspenders, and a yellow shirt. If that didn't make her stand out in a grove of dark green pine trees, her flaming red hair sure did!

"You think we're safe?" I asked Aero.

"Unless she tries to ford that stream, for the time being. We did put on quite a show for her. Eat up. We'll need to keep moving towards the summit."

I continued to eat my fish. Oh great, now the girl's taking pictures! Kimmy would shoot pics of me. Ah, Kimmy... you wouldn't want me now, would you? Branded and all... Sigh...

"Hey - HEY!" I hear. "A little food and you doze off!"

Aero is nudging me. Nuts! I drowsily look over at the campsite. The girl is... the girl is GONE!

"Hey, where'd the girl go?"

Aero was a bit nervous about that. "She's up stream a bit... I think she's trying to find an easy way across to this side! Come on, get on!"

I quickly climb on Aero's back, and with a running start, we take to the air. Yup! There's the girl! She's mid-stream, standing on some rocks, watching us fly overhead. Oh well...

The day is warming, and Aero starts catching the thermals rising from the ground below. We rise higher and higher. Aero hasn't beaten his wings once! The warm air sends us skyward quietly, and peacefully. We quickly make the summit of Mount Moon. The view is spectacular!

"Don't be fools by all this beauty, kid!" Aero warned. "I can see better than you can, and I see trouble!"

"What's out there?" I ask nervously.

"Those Fearrows for one... I can also see vehicles following... I'd say they'll be in this area by tonight."

I peeked over the summit. "Can you still see that girl?"

"She's still down there, a bit wet... she didn't make it back across without falling in!"

"Oh dear..."

"Umm, she was kind of cute... for a human..."

I turned around to survey the area. "So, just what does a Moon Stone look like?"

Aero shrugged. "Darn if I know..."

"Great!"

"Moon Stone near, have no fear!"

Aero and I turned around to see a strange pink blob behind us. "Uh oh... I thought we might run into one of these..." Aero mumbled.

"What is it?" I asked Aero, moving behind him for possible protection.

"Don't worry... It's just a Clefairy - one of the most annoying Pokémon known to - err - Pokémon!" he whispered to me.

"Why?" I cautiously asked, also in a whisper.

"This is one of those situations where humans don't realize just how good it is NOT to understand Pokémon speech! Clefairy rhyme everything! It'll drive you nuts!"

I looked around Aero at the pink thing. It waved at me. Well, at least it seemed friendly. "Should we ask it where the Moon Stones are?"

Aero sighed. "Unfortunately, we've little choice. The Clefairy of Mount Moon are the only ones who know where the stones are!"

"Come! Come! I don't boast, stones are close!"

"This one doesn't seem to rhyme well," I said. Aero nearly laughed, but held it back.

"I never said that they do it well..." he noted.

"Peachy!"

We followed the Clefairy over to what we thought was the opposite end of the peek of Mount Moon. What we found was a depression, circular in shape, and deep, very deep. And the Clefairy was going into it.

Aero took to the sky. I scrambled behind the Clefairy. I suddenly wished I had wings!

Night was descending on us as we finally reached the bottom. The moon was starting its long climb into the cool spring night as we found ourselves within a small forest. Aero and I flopped down to catch our breaths.

"Have no fear, we are here!" the Clefairy squeaked. I was beginning to see what Aero meant. It bounded ahead towards what looked like a clearing.

"Hey, Aero?" I asked panting.

"Yea kid?"

"Did you ever have a master?"

Aero nodded. "Oh yea. That's how I learned some of my tricks, like that hyperspeed we used this morning. Why?"

"Did you ever want another master, or want to go back to your old master?"

Aero gave me a questioning look. "Not my first master... he was a crook!"

I looked up at the bird. "You mean you're part of that group that's trying to get us?"

"No, no... I mean my master is a crook! Team Rocket stole me from HIM! They thought my skills would do them good! But I'd love to have a nice, caring master... Why?"

I put my head down. "With this mark on me, I probably won't be accepted by anyone... they didn't brand you did they?"

"They never got the chance!" he said with a wink.

I chuckled a little. "Do me a favor... remember that boy I told you about? Samuel? Could you keep an eye on him for me? He saved my life, and I owe him that."

Aero looked at the ground. "How old is he?"

"I'd say he's 6, maybe 7..."

"Humph... young..." he said, then gave me a wink. "Sounds like an adventure! Sure kid!"

"Thanks..."

The Clefairy suddenly was back. "Come! Come! Be a dear, the time is near! Come to the festival!"

ARRRGH!

A breeze was starting to blow through the trees as Aero and I entered the clearing.

"Ah, Aero..."

"Great!" the Bird said half laughing. "It's not Moon Stones - it's Moon Stone!"

There before us was a large rock, all glittering and sparkling. Clefairy were dancing around it in a circle, singing and repeating their name. Above, the moon was heading for it's apogee over the stone, AND a thunderstorm was starting to blow in! This was going to be one busy festival!

Aero looked around the outer wall of the depression. His sharp eyes spotting something behind them.

"Don't look now, but our lady friend is back!"

I whirled about. "What? Where?"

"It looks like there's a tunnel off to the south. She must have come in through there. She's above it, watching us with binoculars."

"I wonder if any human has seen this before?" I pondered.

Aero shrugged. "If not, she'll soon get an eyeful!" A splat of rain struck him in the bill. The clouds hadn't covered the moon yet, but lightning and thunder were starting to dance across the sky.

"Look..." both Aero and I said at the same time. We laughed.

"You'd better get out of range," I told my friend.

"Yea, I'm not ready to evolve again!" he said with a smirk. "Good luck kid!"

"You too, Bird! And just in case... Keep Samuel company."

Aero nodded, and prepared to fly off. "By the way... what was the name of your first master?"

"Er... Kimmy... why?"

"I'll keep an eye out for her too. See ya!"

With that, Aero flew into the trees.

I turned to the stone before me. It was starting to glow brightly, as the moon light was creating a dazzling light show throughout the depression. It would be augmented by the occasional burst of lightning.

A larger beam started to come from the stone. As the beam would touch a Clefairy, it would start to change, evolving into what Aero had told me, a Clefable. But one of these beams crossed over me, and nothing happened. A dead end. Nuts!

Then the lightning struck. Dead square in the middle of the stone, and the beam that was on me enveloped me.

I felt like I was floating. The ground was nowhere within touching distance. It was rather pleasant.

"Hello!"

I heard something... Someone said hello...

"Hello! Welcome to the Stratus League!"

I opened my eyes. The area was devoid of all things. It was - yellow... Extremely yellow, right down to what was talking to me... A Pikachu!

This was confusing. "Where am I? Am I dead?"

The Pikachu shook his head. "No. You're just between here and there!"

"Who am I?"

The Pikachu put a finger to my head... Memories flooded into my head. "It happens sometimes when you come here the way you just did!"

"Why am I here?"

"The league council has decided to grant you a gift." the Pikachu said, crossing its arms, floating away from me.

"A gift? Why?"

"We know how loyal you've been with your masters, be it you've only had brief times with both... and the hardships you've gone through. We will give you special powers, but you will look like a normal evolved Eevee. You must choose the form."

"I must choose?"

"Yes... but before you do... and this might be hard to swallow, but if you find a new master, remember that not all Team Rocket members are evil or bad..."

"What? What does that mean?"

"You'll see," the Pikachu said with a wink and a tweak of its nose. "It's our little secret! - Choose now!"

The choice was an easy one... I knew what I wanted to become...

"FLAREON!"

"So be it!"

It felt like I was being drained though a long pipe, as I returned to the front of the Moon Stone. Clefairy and Clefable were scattering everywhere to avoid the energy discharge. I felt my body grow, the pain leave my right hip, and power flow into my body. It all was a bit much of a moment. I fell down to the ground.

That was a mistake! I was the only thing keeping the beam there! It shot beyond me, striking the hill above the tunnel, and just below where the girl was! The energy expanded into a bubble that heaved the girl skyward!

"FUEGO, ARISE!"

It was the voice of the Pikachu that rang through my head!

I looked back, and saw what had happened behind me. I charged off towards the girl. I leave a trail of flame behind me!

"FUEGO, FIRE WINGS!" the voice of the Pikachu said.

Fire what? Oh, by Flareon's mane, what are THOSE!?

WINGS!! I'VE GOT WINGS!!

A pair of flame wings sprouted from behind my mane! Wicked!

I launch myself for the girl. I find I'm being followed by Aero!

"Well, that's a bit more than I expected!" he yelled.

"Help me, Aero! The girl's been hit by the beam!"

"I saw... she's to your left!"

The bird's eyesight was still better than anything I had. I was still adjusting to my new form! There she was, starting to descend! I dove in under her to one side, Aero to the other. He grabbed her belt as I slipped below her. He guided her onto my back, and I power stroked my new wings upwards.

"Hey!" I said in a slight amazement. "What happened to the storm?"

We looked above us. There wasn't a cloud, a drop, a lightning bolt to be seen. Only the full moon blazing above us. We gave each other a glancing look, and continued out of the depression.

We headed for the girl's campsite. Err... This is going to be interesting!

"Aero, old buddy, mind if I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"You've been a bird all your life, right?"

"Well, THAT'S a dumb question!"

"Yea, yea, just listen... How does a bird LAND?"

"Feathers and Beaks!" he swore.

"Exactly..."

"Okay," he began to coach me, "first, open your wings wide. When you're about to land, starts scooping air in a cupping motion forward!"

"Cupping motion forward... gotcha!"

"So tell me Hot Shot, does a name come along with this new power?" Aero kidded me.

"Yup! I'm Fuego now!"

"Okay," he said. "What was your name before?"

"Err, I don't remember..."

Aero gave me an odd look. "You mean Kimmy never named you?"

"Who's Kimmy?"

"Aero, stop asking questions that can't be answered!" came a voice in our heads. "He's starting a new life! You just remember your promises!"

Aero nearly dropped his half of this flight!

As we arrived at the campsite, I followed Aero's advice. It worked! The landing was almost painless, though now we needed to get the girl into her tent... Hummm...

FUEGO, LIFTING FIRE!

I felt a surge of energy run through me. My wings disappeared. A circle of flame surrounded the girl, lifting her off the ground slightly. With a tweak of my nose, it followed me into the tent, where I placed her on her cot she had set up in there. Much to my surprise, I never set anything on fire!

"Listen, I had better be off," Aero said. "Samuel will need my guidance I'm sure!" he said with a wink.

I looked at the girl in the cot. She seemed as if she needed me... A motion outside the tent caught my attention... it looked like a large bird flying off into the night... I wonder who that was?

"Ohhh..." the girl said. She was coming to... good. I nuzzled up to her cheek and gave it a lick.

Hot Flareon tongue! That'll get you up in a hurry!

She sat up with a start and looked at me with excited green eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Fuego!" I said.

She blinked. "Is that your call, or did you just speak to me?"

"Er, I think I just spoke... but I'm not sure for just how long I'll be able to do so... Do you remember the Moon Stone?"

The girl crossed her legs and just nodded to me, obviously not expecting a verbal response!

"Well, I was the Eevee that was changed by the Moon Stone. I have been given special powers by the Stratus League, and I guess that you were chosen to be my new master, or mistress, whichever you prefer!"

"R - Really?" she said, unsure of what was happening in front of her.

"Really. I'm not quite sure myself of all the powers I have, but they are numerous, and quite strong."

"It's - it's a shame that you don't come with an owner's manual!" she said.

I laughed. "Now where's the fun in that? This will be a learning experience for both of us!"

"You look like any normal Flareon to me!" she said, looking around me. "You don't have any Rocket brand on you, so I guess this isn't a test..."

"Rocket brand?" I asked. I felt a twinge in my right hip... Why?

"Team Rocket has been branding their Pokémon on their right hips lately. Keeps them loyal they say... I think it's just brutal!"

"Well, I hope you're not that way!" I said. "Why would you know about Team Rocket?"

"I am Team Rocket... My name is Ayako... I'm part of the Golden R section of Team Rocket!"

"Curiouser and curiouser... You were selected as my master, so I guess that I'm to be a member of Team Rocket! Odd..."

"Why is that?"

"I get the distinct memory that I was once running from Team Rocket. I can't remember! It doesn't matter... My name is Fuego. You are my master. That's all that matters!" I handed her my paw. She reached down and shook it.

"Ayako!"

"Fuego!"

"Nice to meet you!"

"And with this, Stratus League guidance is terminated... Have a good life, Fuego and Ayako!"

"Did you just hear something, Fuego?"

"Werf!" I said. I did hear something - outside the tent! I stuck my head out.

A Black Shirt was looking back at me. I growled.

"Fuego, back!" Ayako commanded. I backed up as she exited her tent. "Private? May I ask the meaning of this visit?"

"Who are you, and why do you know I'm a private?"

Ayako held up a PokéBall. It had a gold 'R' on it.

"Golden R!" the private gulped, snapping to attention.

"Very good," Ayako said to him. Before she got the chance to ask the question again, a Jeep pulled up. A red shirted woman got out.

"Corporal Yoshida, Chief Armorer of Team Rocket! What brings you all the way out here to the base of Mount Moon?"

"I could ask the same for the second in command of the Golden R," the nasty lady snarled.

"I could answer, but I'm not obliged to, unlike you!" Ayako snarled right back. Oh, this could be good! "Now report Corporal! What are you doing out here bothering my vacation!?"

"Following the Boss' orders, ma'am!" she said, coming to a stiff salute. "We are on the trail of the last of three escaped Pokémon that bolted from the Branding Center south of Pallet Town!"

I moved beside my master. This branding sounded painful.

"And your status?"

"Still searching, ma'am!" She then noticed me. "Is that your Pokémon, ma'am?"

"Fuego is my own private Pokémon... He's not Team Rocket's"

"Doesn't matter, ma'am! Boss' orders - ALL Pokémon that work on Team Rocket assignments must be branded. I'm sorry!"

Sure she was! I could hear the malice in her voice. She drew out the stick with the brand on it. She pressed a button, and the end glowed red hot. But when she went for my right hip, I raised my own temperature where the iron was going to hit. I melted the iron clear up to the batteries! That was fun!

Ayako looked at the shocked Yoshida. "Don't try THAT again!"

The corporal excused herself and her troops, and they headed for the mountain. Ayako and I enjoyed the rest of the week together.

----------------------------

50 years... it's hard to believe.

I'm standing at the top of a hill near Pallet Town. A small sign says "Field 24" nearby. Time has passed us by with remarkable speed.

Soon after Ayako's vacation finished, she was one of three volunteers to test Team Rocket's Cryogenics chamber - the nature of being a member of the Golden R it seemed - first to volunteer for the harshest tests - The test being an endurance test, both trainer and Pokémon suspended in cryogenic sleep.

Ayako and I were the only survivors. Maybe because of our special powers, I don't know... I do know one thing - I remember everything again. I don't know if I was supposed to forget Samuel, Kimmy and Aero, or my past life prior to being a special Flareon, but the block is gone.

I see that Samuel and Kimmy did well for themselves... Samuel and Aero became a great team, actually winning the Pokémon League tournament. And Aero kept his word. He found Kimmy. She had become a prized Pikachu trainer. He somehow got Samuel and Kimmy together. And they eventually got married, and raised a family. Sadly, Kimmy died on a Pokémon outing leading an excursion into the bush looking for new Pokémon to catalog. Samuel kept his studies up, and became the world's most esteemed Pokémon researcher. I am standing in one of hundreds of acres of land he had obtained for the study of Pokémon right now.

Also, sadly, Aero, my good friend, who would have probably been dead by now anyway, died in battle against one of Kimmy's Pikachus. I stand before his marker in the cemetery behind the Oak Pokémon Research Center. Samuel has done very well for himself, hasn't he old friend?

I look back at Ayako - Samuel! He's standing beside her! Oh, my friend, you've grown so old!

"Hello Eevee," he said to me. He knows me? How?

"Or, should I say Fuego?" he continued, a tear running down his cheek. "Welcome home..."

I - I don't know what to say...

"Samuel..."

Ayako's mouth dropped open. "Fuego, you're speaking again!"

"There's a reason for it... please, follow me..." Samuel said, beckoning us to the center's main building.

As I hop down from the raised bed onto the path, I look down the hill and I see a Pikachu. It salutes me then FLOATS into the center... I look back at Aero's grave. That's when I notice the marker beside it. It bears the image of a Pikachu. Oh Aero, what world have we been brought into?

And what's with the eye patch on that Pikachu?

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak

Ayako & Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edited 0706.21


	12. Team Two

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Twelve **

**Team Two **

**By R. A. Stott **

**Edited by Jazzy & R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall  
and  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy_**

"Brock?! You in there?"

He had been President of the Stratus League for less than 24 hours, and already he'd had his fill of some of the duties.

"In here PK."

PK entered the storage room. The room was large, and filled with assorted knickknacks and books. The air was cool, being that the room was deep within the building, with no windows or anything else that would heat the place. And it was relatively tall, which would explain where PK found the President, sitting on a ladder in his civvies, reading a book.

"Ea, this your inner sanctum?" PK asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"Umph!" Brock replied. "I needed a place to hide out in."

"Didn't think Sabrina's job was so hard?"

Brock looked at his old friend below him. "Sabrina and I never saw eye to eye on much of anything..."

"Ah, so that's why you married her..."

Brock grimaced, then laughed a bit. "That sure didn't last long, did it?"

PK leaned on a stack of books. "Did any of them?"

"Hey!" Brock complained. "I've been happily married now for 10 years!"

"Better tell HER that!"

Brock looked at PK first a bit miffed, then with concern. "You've seen the future again, haven't you?"

"You know I'm not allowed to peek into the future! I just know that before you go home tonight, you should get a bouquet of roses, and possibly a reservation at some swanky restaurant!"

Now Brock was giving the electric mouse a confused look.

"Why is it I'm the only one who remembers your anniversary?"

"JEEZE!" Brock yelped, nearly falling off the ladder. He bounded down and out of the room, PK following close behind.

"Brock! - Brock!! - BROCK!!" he yelled.

Brock came to a halt at his office door. A huge bouquet of roses sat in a bundle at the stoop. Brock turned towards PK.

"You have reservations at Chez Vulpix for 8 o'clock."

Brock gave the rodent a half smile, half grimace look. "PK, you're a pal!"

"Great," he said with little thrill in his voice. "Now you can answer me this..." and handed Brock a digi-PADD. Brock took the electronic tablet, looked at it then looked at the ceiling as if he had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"What is all this about, Mr. President?" PK asked angrily.

"PK, I was going to tell you about this later today... I had asked my secretary to release this tonight..."

PK gave Brock a less than impressed look. "Would that have mattered? Where did you find another team?"

Brock was a bit panicked now. "PK, not out here! Come it here!" he said half whispering, and shooing the yellow critter into his office.

"Another Lugia Team?" PK asked when finally into the office, and the door shut. "Where did you find another spirit to work with?"

"We have three of them for Team Two." Brock said, sitting down behind his desk, folding his hands on his belly."

"WHERE!?" shouted the enraged PK.

Brock sighed. "Two were found on Level 3. The third member of the group was found on Level 1.2"

PK pinched his eyes. "I thought it was agreed that only spirits from Level Prime was allowed to be used."

Brock looked down. "You were... err... overruled..."

PK lit up like a Christmas tree. "OVERRULED!? There are only 2 people who can overrule my choices! My boss and his number 1!"

Brock pulled out a readout pad. "It came from Captain Strom." he said as he handed a digi-PADD to PK.

"Roy?" PK asked, taking the pad and reading it, an expression of shock rolling across his face.

_"Dear PK, I know this will be rather abrupt, and that you are currently busy working with the Jesse and James crew, but the situation is rather extreme at the moment, as you know. Our advance teams have discovered 3 new spirits on different levels that are too good to pass up as a second Lugian Team. I know we agreed that the only spirits that should be used are the ones from Level Prime, but after you read the itinerary of this group, I hope you will understand why I think they should be put to good use. They will work independently to your group as a backup, just in case. Signed, Roy Strom, Captain, U.N.S. Forrestal."_ PK flipped the PADD to the floor and began to pace the office.

Brock cleared his throat. "Personally, I think it's a good idea..."

PK shot an angered look at the President. "And who's going to train them!?"

"Except for some basic things, training is unnecessary," he answered. "The two from Level 3 were from a Team Rocket that was stronger and more skilled than the Prime Level Rockets, and the third member of this group was Team Rocket's best agent."

PK began pacing the room again, shaking his head. "_Another_ Team Rocket group! Can't we find a non-Rocket based group!? - Hey..."

"What?"

PK looked at Brock. "What was that about the third member being Team Rocket's best agent?"

"Yea? What about it?"

"What did you mean by 'best'? Best current? Best EVER?"

Brock shuffled some papers for the information. "Ever..."

PK turned and walked towards the back of the room. "Myamoto?" he said, his back turned away from the President.

"Do you know her?" Brock asked, reading the documents.

PK nodded then stopped short, his ears sticking straight up. He quickly turned towards Brock. "Which one?" he asked.

Brock shuffled the papers again. "Which one... which one... What do you mean which one?"

"Here, gimme her file..." Brock handed PK the document that showed Myamoto's case-study.

"Myamoto, Case 4273TRH..." he mumbled to himself, reading the paper. "Also known as MyamotoTwo... a clone..."

Brock stood up. "A CLONE!?"

"I never knew clone's had spirits! I guess THAT'LL turn some ears upstairs!" PK planted the paper hard down on Brock's desk. He then turned and glared at the President. "Myamoto Lillis, do you know who that is?"

Brock shook his head. "Should I?"

PK closed his eye. "Let me try with her full name... Myamoto Lillis-_Musashi_."

Brock turned pale. "Not... No... It couldn't be..."

PK shook his head. "How am I supposed to tell her? - Correction - BOTH of them! I have TWO of them to deal with right now!"

Brock still was working on a major disbelief. "Jesse's mother was Team Rocket's best agent?"

PK was mumbling something under his voice. He finally asked, "what about the other two?" Brock handed the information over for him to read.

"Hummm... An Arcanine of surprising power, and could speak... the only one who was able to learn Surf... That's different... Uh, SHOT? Shot by a Jenny?"

Brock looked over at the paper in PK's hand. "Where?"

"Right here," PK pointed at the page as he read some of it aloud. "He was shot by Saffron City's Officer Jenny while protecting his master, who had fallen while the master, his partner, and that level's Jesse, James, and Meowth stole an extremely rare Flareon Fossil... What the heck is that?" Brock shook his head.

PK kept reading, also shaking his head while deciphering the paper in front of him. "The Arcanine was shot to death by a Jenny that was about to shoot someone ON THE GROUND! Just what kind of level IS level 3?"

"Well, obviously, it's a level where Jennies carry guns!" Brock answered.

"And have no restraint, it would seem! An assault rifle?" PK said, continuing to read the document. The simple fact that Jennies on Level Prime don't carry guns was bouncing through their heads.

"The Rockets of that level must be pretty dangerous!" Brock said, looking over PK's shoulder to follow along.

"It gets better... Here..." PK pointed. "The owner of the aforementioned Arcanine shot the Saffron Jenny to death and rushed his beloved pet to the Pokémon Center... where the Arcanine died..."

Brock sat back in his chair. "At least that shows loyalty..." PK glared at the President with his one eye then turned back to the page.

"As a result of the Arcanine's death, his master killed himself the next morning because of his grief! - Zapdos above! It's no wonder these spirits never got to the Stratus League! Are we offering them the same deal as Jesse and James?"

Brock shook his head. "I think we're offering them passage to the Stratus... You'd have to ask your superiors..."

PK shuddered, trying to control himself. "Who is their ange... agent? Any team would need an agent!" PK snarled.

"I was just given this information earlier today... Obviously, I haven't had the chance to examine it totally... You'd have to ask..."

"...My superiors... I know." PK started towards the door.

"PK, please... I would have thought you would want this help..."

PK turned towards the window looking over the League Headquarters. He watched the bustle of personnel and vehicles below him. Exeter was off in the background, engines warming for launch. Skat Backs were zipping into her upper hanger bays. She was about to head for another level to watch over the Lugian progress.

"They won't be ready, Mr. President. They won't know what to expect. I do. I've fought the Black Lugia. They would be slaughtered."

"That's why they're back-up. They will be watching your progress with Jesse and James."

"And Sabrina - and Ash and his team he's forming."

Brock looked at his feet.

PK continued towards the door. "Yea, I know - it hurts..." He opened the door, then stopped and looked back at Brock. "Do you know the real reason why I'm being punished? Why I am the one teaching Jesse and James?"

Brock looked up from the floor. "I thought you said it was because you were to take responsibility for the auto accident that took Jesse's and your lives..."

"Not entirely... I was told that I was also being punished for enjoying myself too much when I would fry them!" He gave Brock a cocked head look. "What goes around comes around, ea?" He exited the room and closed the door. Brock sat back and wondered the rest of the afternoon.

----------------------------

Jesse was holding a bucket of water over James' head. She turned it over and over, not a drop coming out. She even turned it over and shook it.

But she was on one side of the room, and the bucket was 20 feet away. Psychic Manipulation 101 was in session.

James also had a bucket in the air, but not over Jesse's head - over to the left of her. The earlier practices had been a bit wet for Jesse, and James wasn't going to make that mistake again.

In the control booth, Sabrina watched over the proceedings. She had recovered from the psychic shock she had received two days earlier - a shock inflicted upon herself, BY herself it would seem. The memories dumped by the transfer were in a muddled jumbled mess, but some of it was starting to straighten itself out. And a good amount of that was disturbing to her.

What worried her the most was the breech in protocol that it was. Only a few days before, she had preached to her 'niece' Rose that she shouldn't play around with history - History's Daggers... another catch phrase tossed onto the memory pile... She had told her that informing the past of the future would only lead to their possible destruction. And here she seemed to have plunked the entire mess on herself! Why?

"Help me..."

Sabrina jumped up from her chair and began looking out all possible windows.

"Help me, please..."

It wasn't Jesse or James - they were still holding buckets over their heads. Meowth was across from his mates, watching them play fireman, so it wasn't him.

It was a woman's voice... Mother Jesse? No, there she is with Pink Lady and Little Rose...

"No! Don't let it take me! Don't let it make me do that!"

Sabrina whirled around. The voice couldn't be fathomed. Directions were unreadable. Panic was erupting.

A bucket fell with a splosh.

"Hey!" James yelped. "I thought you were capable of holding onto that thing... What is it Jesse?"

Jesse was looking up at the control room. The mirrored window prevented her from seeing Sabrina, but she felt something. Then James felt it too.

PK came dashing into the room, and darted up the stairs to the control booth. Jesse didn't need a cue like that! She quickly followed. James first put his bucket down, then was behind his wife.

Sabrina was sitting in the office chair at the control console, slumped over sideways with her eyes wide open.

"SABI!" Jesse cried, rushing over to her friend. PK was already at her side, attempting to read her thoughts. What he got was a head banging burst of memories, and one... one thought that WASN'T a memory!

"Zapdos above!" he whispered. "I thought..."

Jesse wasn't ready for more mysteries. She put two fingers on Sabrina's forehead and joined in on the search.

Meowth looked at the scene, then over at James, who was standing near, but not touching anything.

"Ain't gonna join in?" Meowth asked with a bit of sarcasm.

"Are you kidding?" James told the Meowth. "Remember the last time we went into someone's mind?"

"How could I forget?" Meowth grumbled, seeing that it was HIS mind they had gone into!

James looked back at the group, just in time to see Jesse reaching and grabbing his hand. Well, he was in, whether he wanted to be in or not!

Meowth put his paws behind his head and started out the door across the room from him. "Well'p, ain't no reason ta stick around..." was as far as he got before James slammed his hand down on the cat's head. He's in!

Meowth found himself falling again. If it hadn't been for all those times in the past 'Blasting off', he would have felt sheer panic right now. As it was, the ride was rather pleasant. A warm summer breeze was rushing by, the light wasn't too harsh, and he wasn't alone in his plummeting. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was to the left of him, and the entire cast of both Star Trek and Next Generation was having a Pokémon Battle to his right.

"Dis is one weird drop!" he said to himself.

"Just wait - rock bottom is coming up!" came a reply he didn't want to hear. It was that Wesley kid! He never did like him!

Jon-Luc threw a PokéBall, which popped open and deposited its contents, a fat, blobby Clefairy smack on Jim Kirk's head. The ball continued on, and got larger, and larger! It was heading right for Meowth!

"Yikes! I've never been in one a does, an' I don't intend on startin' NOW!" he yelped, trying to swim out of the way of the gaping maul...

That ball! It wasn't a ball anymore! That gaping maul belonged to...

BLACK LUGIA!

"Engage!" Jon-Luc said, closing his hand as if slapping the lid shut on a PokéBall.

The beast overtook the shrieking cat. All was dark. But the feeling of falling was still there.

"Meowth? Meowth, is that you?"

The cat recognized the voice. "Jimmy! Keep talkin'! I'm heading towards ya!"

"Over here, Meowth!" came another familiar voice.

"Jesse! Keep it up!"

"Come on ya hairball!"

"Who da heck was DAT?"

A flash of light in the darkness. Meowth could see the silhouettes of three tall humans, a smaller Pokémon, and a prone body.

"Here he comes!" the unknown voice said.

"Where?" the voice of James said, obviously not seeing the onrushing Meowth.

"I'll get him!" the voice said. Meowth suddenly felt hands grabbing him and yanking him away from the falling feeling he had. They then landed near the dim light of what had been the flash he had seen earlier. The hands put Meowth down next to the prone body.

"Hey, da spooky lady!" Meowth said. "You's mean she's out cold in her mind as well?"

"She's not out," the uniformed person who had caught the diving Meowth said, "she's being used as a conduit."

PK rubbed his chin. "A conduit... from where?"

"Level 14," the officer said.

James noticed Jesse was just staring... At the officer... Okay, break time!

"Wait a minute," James interrupted, "who ARE you?"

PK cleared his throat. "Oh, sorry folks… I should have introduced you. This is one of MY bosses, Captain Roy Strom of the Starship Forrestal." He saluted them.

It was too dark to really get a view of the man that stood across the prone body from them, but Jesse and James felt something was different about him. Almost a force of energy. But what was he doing here in the first place? He wasn't touching Sabrina in the real world.

"I'm here because I felt Sabrina calling out to me - to us..." said the Captain, as if to answer the question running through the Rocket's heads. "As to where the conduit leads, I think we can guess by what we came through..."

"You's mean dat Lugia I got eaten by?" Meowth asked. "What was wit all dat Star Trek stuff I saw?"

"Star Trek?" the captain asked.

PK shook his head. "You followed James in here, didn't you?"

Meowth nodded.

"The entry into this realm can be determined by the person that preceded you..." PK and Meowth looked over at the dark figure of James.

"So that's why I ran through that massive closet of clothes and dolls! I opened a door at the end and Black Lugia reached in and... YAH! It ATE ME!!"

Strom shook his head. "Not really. It was only in your mind. Remember, you're not really here."

"Then just what are we doin' here?" Meowth asked, looking about worried something might come out of the dark.

"We are waiting for one more traveler, and for the conduit to open again," the captain said.

"Someone's following Meowth?" Jesse asked. "Oh boy! What will that person run through?"

Large balls of yarn were smashing together and exploding like asteroids striking each other as the final traveler made his way through the first conduit. One enormous ball moved aside, revealing Black Lugia's mouth.

"Ah! Here he comes!" Strom said, seeing a momentary flash of light above them.

----------------------------

Scissors Street. Ash and Misty hadn't been there in years. But they needed to find their old friend Brock, and this was the last place anyone who knew him had seen him.

"I thought Suzy had closed up shop and started her Pokémon journeys again, Ash," Misty said, arm in arm with the young League Officer.

Ash shrugged. "I don't know what happened, but I've been told by the League Bureau of Trainers and Breeders that she re-applied for her breeder's license a year ago and reopened her shop. Hey, look at that!"

Ash was pointing at the small entry that had been Suzy's shop those years ago. It was still just a nook in the wall between buildings, but it had been spruced up a great deal, and the doorway had a pair of Ninetails on either side.

"Oh, they're gorgeous!" Misty said, half whispering. "But are they real? They look like statues!"

Just then the left one moved its head and looked Misty square in the eye. It then leaped over to her and started to rub her legs, barking happily.

Ash looked over at the other Ninetails. It didn't look as happy to see him. It was starting to bear its teeth and growl. Ash inched towards a PokéBall on his belt and gave it a pair of taps. It tapped back.

The Ninetails at the door leaped at Ash. Ash jumped back, and hit the release button on the PokéBall while it was still attached to his belt!

----------------------------

_**DEXTER: Hello. I am Dexter - The Pokémon Data Index Link System, with a short explanation... Subject: The reason why a PokéBall is thrown. A PokéBall, when in use, contains a Pokémon within a energy plasma. When inside a PokéBall, the Pokémon feel as if they are within a comfortable room, when in reality, they are within a suspended energy matrix. This energy, when released, is very powerful, and can actually give a kick back that must be avoided. Depending on the size of the Pokémon released, this kick back could actually lift a trainer foolish enough to hang onto a releasing PokéBall. This is why it is recommended that a PokéBall be thrown away from the trainer, to avoid any possible injuries! Only expert Pokémon Trainer's should attempt hand-held Pokémon releasals!**_

----------------------------

Ash was lifted off the ground by the thrust of the PokéBall. Turning, he saw the large form of Charizard materializing below him.

Misty and the Ninetails that had befriended her jumped back in fear and shock. "Ash! What have you done!?" she screamed as she saw him in the air above her. She fell to the ground.

The Ninetails that had leapt at Ash was surprised by the rather large dragon Pokémon that was now in front of it, and was unable to stop in time. It slammed head first into Charizard's belly.

Ash twisted around. "Charizard!" he yelled.

Charizard quickly spread his wings wide, exposing his shoulders. Ash hadn't been tossed too high into the air by the PokéBall thrust. He managed to only bounce lightly as he mounted Charizard. Misty sat with her mouth agape, her Ninetails snuggling up over her shoulder.

A small crowd had gathered to watch the acrobatics of the young league officer and his Charizard. Some were applauding the rocket launch he had done, others were impressed that his Charizard would allow him to ride him. He didn't have time to worry about this noise, the Ninetails was getting up again!

"Charizard, tell it to back off!" Ash ordered.

"Grumph! Rrrorrororrr woof roouf!" Charizard said. The Ninetails backed away reluctantly, fur and tails all spiked out in a defensive posture. It almost looked like a Joltion!

"Ash, you've trained Charizard!" Misty said with astonishment in her voice.

Ash tipped his cap to her. "Actually, I didn't. A friend of ours told Charizard the facts of life before he was returned to me! Didn't he buddy?"

Charizard rolled his eyes and snorted.

"What is going on out here!? Kelvin! Pix! What is going on!?"

Suzy had come out of her shop to confront whatever was making her Ninetails upset. She got an eyeful all right.

"Ash?" she said, seeing the man sitting on a Charizard, and wearing a League Officer's badge. "Ash Ketchum?"

"Let me down, Charizard, would ya?" Ash asked his dragon. "You did great!" Charizard bent over and let Ash off. He then reared back in what almost looked like a Barney pose as he looked at Misty, grabbed her and hugged her.

"Nice.. to.. see.. you.. too.. Charizard! Ah!!"

"Let her breath, Char!" Ash said, half laughing. The Ninetails that answered to 'Pix' sat back and watched Misty get squished into Charizard's hug.

"Ash, what's going on here?" Suzy asked again.

"Hi Suzy! Long time no see... Sorry for the trouble, but your Ninetails there attacked me for no reason."

"Well, I'm not surprised, with this Charizard here!" Suzy said looking at the huge dragon before her.

"Yea, but he was still in his ball when the Ninetails attacked..."

"That doesn't matter, he probably smelled it right through the ball! Kelvin! Settle! Go into the back, NOW!"

The cream white fox snorted, turned and entered the store, heading towards the back.

Charizard let Misty go, and waived bye-bye as Ash returned it to its ball. With that, the small crowd dispersed.

"What about this Ninetails, Suzy?" Misty asked, stroking its soft forehead. "It seemed friendly right off the start..."

Suzy smiled. "Well, it should. Pix evolved from Brock's Vulpix a year ago."

Ash heard the magic word. "Ah, Brock! Just the reason we are here, Suzy! Is he here? We've been looking all over for him."

Suzy put her hand up to her mouth and giggled. "Oh, he's here. He's in the back!"

Misty noticed it first. Ash was close behind, but Misty asked the question first.

"Suzy, that ring! Are you and Brock..."

"A year ago," she finished the question with.

"Brock married?" Ash said to himself, more than a bit shocked at the thought of the notorious wandering eye locking in on one and only one target.

Well, it was Suzy... One could always say that Brock at least has good taste!

"Listen, Ash..." Suzy said, now looking a bit sad, "I'm not sure he'll be really thrilled to see you."

Ash nodded. "He's still disappointed about PK?"

She nodded in agreement. "He's not as angry at you, as he is at Professor Oak. He still can't say his name without a good dose of swears thrown in - and he's never told me why!"

Ash adjusted his cap. "Well, they say time heels all wounds." Ash took a deep breath, and looked directly at Suzy. "May I see him? It's on a matter of some importance."

----------------------------

What was the Captain doing? He seemed to be directing the flight path the final traveler was taking by pointing at him. PK saw the odd looks on Jesse and James' faces.

"The captain has his own powers," the yellow electric mouse said to them. Yea, that answered a bunch of questions!

"Is he a psychic?" Jesse whispered.

"Yes, and no... Let's just say, he's a bit... different!"

The final traveler touched down in the dark area away from any light. But then, he lit up.

The illumination came from a thin staff. It was long and slender, with a PokéBall on one end, and a flame at the other that made a halo.

"Mr. President," PK acknowledged.

"I know him! Dat's one of da Twerp Gang!" Meowth spat out. Jesse and James looked stunned at the older Brock Tekeshi standing before them. He looked much larger than the last time they had seen him. Then there was the gray hair... It made them feel... old...

"Oh great!" he mumbled. "I take it you three were in the same room when whatever hit your Sabrina hit?"

Jesse didn't like the tone of Brock question. "I felt it hit her from another room, MISTER President!" she snarled.

Brock put a hand up, palm out, in a calming move. "Wait a minute... hang on. Okay... Let's try that again. I'm sorry, that was the wrong way to start... Hello. It's been a long time!" He reached out and shook Jesse's hand, much to her surprise. He then shook James', who then looked at his hand like it had just touched nuclear waste!

"What's our situation, Captain?" he asked Strom.

"The situation is a conduit has been formed between Level 14 and Level Prime, and it seems to be running through Sabrina."

"Any ideas on why?" PK asked.

"I've got one..." Strom replied. "She's receiving contact with herself WITHIN Black Lugia."

"Excuse me?" Jesse interrupted. "What do you mean 'within Black Lugia'? What would she be doing within Black Lugia?"

Brock looked at Strom and PK. "You haven't told them yet, did you?"

PK hissed "They weren't supposed to know!"

"Know what!?" shouted Jesse. James took a step back, awaiting the possible Banshee attack Jesse had developed.

Strom looked down for a moment. "Given the adjustments in time and relative dimensions, at 0800 hours this morning, after completing the destruction of all life forms, the Black Lugia began its transfer from Level 14 onto its next target, Level 13.6. Energy output signals imply that the psychic energy being used for the transfer is that of Sabrina's."

"How?" Jesse asked, pressing her fingers to her forehead.

PK didn't like it, but he explained what had happen to the former President of the Stratus League. Jesse stood aghast at the fate that had befallen her new friend.

"And now, the good news," Captain Strom said. Jesse looked up at him.

"What could possibly come out of THIS!?" she snarled.

"A conduit could only have been formed if something of Sabrina is still alive."

"Something?" Jesse and James said together.

"Well, obviously, not her body, but maybe, just maybe..."

"Her SOUL!!" James yelped, slapping his fist into his hand.

"Do you think her spirit is still intact?" Brock asked.

"It would explain the conduit," Strom said. "The only way to tell is try to get in there and attempt a rescue. Shall we?"

"You try and stop me!" Jesse said, looking at the prone form of her friend at her feet. "Err, just how do we open this conduit?"

"The key," PK answered, "is in the President's Staff."

"So that's why it dragged me here!" Brock said, looking at the staff closely.

PK nodded. "Just remember to keep it upright."

"Ea? Why?"

"Remember, you're just in here as a para-psychic fragment. You're really still in your office, holding onto the staff! You could set fire to something if you were to angle it oddly, or drop it!"

"Wonderful! So, what do I do with it?"

"Place the PokéBall into this shadow," PK said, pointing towards the prone Sabrina on the ground.

"Shadow? That's Natsumi, not a shadow!" Brock always preferred to call her by her 'other' name.

"This is only a shadow, and an exit from the second half of the conduit," PK explained. "Touch the PokéBall to her, please."

Brock shrugged, and touched the PokéBall on the end of the staff to the prone figure. Instantly, Sabrina's shadow disappeared, and a bright hole opened at their feet.

"Are we ready?" the captain yelled over the roar of the hole.

"It looks like we have little choice!" James shrieked, as the hole rapidly widened. Meowth and Brock fell in, followed closely by Jesse and James. PK was floating over the funnel, as was Captain Strom. The captain pulled a small device out of his shirt and switched it on. He reinserted it down his collar, gave PK a nod, and dove into the hole. PK followed.

----------------------------

Ash and Misty already were a bit bewildered to find Brock had married while they were separated. What they found when they entered the back room of the shop floored them.

Brock was tending to a pair of bassinets, one pink and one blue. A third one in the back of the room was bouncing and swaying.

"Triplets?" Ash yelped, until the head of a Vulpix kit popped up over the edge of the bassinet in the rear.

"Twins," Suzy said, as she continued past the two younger trainers.

Brock looked up and saw who was in his doorway. "Ash, Misty..." he acknowledged then returned to his duties with the babies. The Ninetails Kelvin, who had taken up a chair in the rear of the room growled again, but never raised its head.

"Brock!" Suzy scolded him. "That's no way to talk to our guests! Stacey and William can wait! Greet them properly!"

"I have nothing to say to them," he grumbled. With that, Suzy smacked Daddy Brock over the head with a folded fan.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Ash whispered to Misty.

"No, do you want me to get one?" she responded with an evil smile.

Ash gave Misty a nasty look, then stepped foreword. "Brock, I'm sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt... We need your help."

Brock rubbed the lump forming on his head, and snatched the fan from Suzy's grasp, giving her a stern look. "I do NOT want anything to do with you or Oak anymore, Ash!" he snarled.

"You're not being fair, Brock!" Misty yelled then covered her mouth, realizing she probably just gave the babies a good scare. Still covering her mouth, she looked up at Brock and continued the angrily whisper, "Ash didn't know about PK's special situation!"

Suzy looked at Misty, a question in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Brock grumbled at the thought. "Ash's PK was the child of Pink Lady and Rex..."

Suzy stepped back. The story of Pink Lady and Rex had been a staple to breeders across the world - how Professor Oak had managed to duplicate a breeding method thought lost centuries before - how he managed to breed the hardest creatures to breed in captivity, PK - and the resulting triumph and tragedy, the still-birth of one baby, the birth of the twin - she had read and read about it. It filled Breeder's World Magazine for all the summer years ago...

"He was Dex?" she asked.

Ash winced. He knew PK's name, which had been given him by some deranged assistant of Oak's when he was born, and he knew that his friend LOATHED it.

Ash looked down. "Look, Brock, I know that you thought PK should never have left the safety of Oak's Center, but that's old news now. And I might be working with the Professor now, but I'm here on League business. We need your help. I need your help."

----------------------------

Rose had sat in the darkened room for days. She refused to eat. She refused to turn on any lights. The only comfort she had was the curled up form of the Mew in her lap. She quietly stroked the Pokémon, staring at the walls. She had seen what daylight could get through the drapes cross the room 2, maybe 3 times between crying fits and sleep.

A light rap on her door was followed by Kinza peeking in. Joy also looked in. "Is she still breathing?" she asked. Kinza snapped her a nasty look. He then reached in and felt the unseen wall.

"It's still there," he said.

"Why would the Mew put up a force wall?" Doctor Joy asked.

"I don't know," the Tomassamassa said, closing the door. "Maybe it felt that they both need to morn together. I would think that they both feel responsible for what happen to Sabrina..."

"Still," Joy said, "it's not good to the body to decline food OR drink for this long. I wish PK would get back here - he's the only one who could break through the Mew's shield..."

"Captain Strom probably could as well, but I was told he had to leave quickly a few hours ago," Kinza added.

A speaker nearby chimed. "Doctor Joy to the President's Office! Doctor Joy to the President's Office! STAT!"

Joy and Kinza looked at one another. "Think he forgot his anniversary again?" Kinza remarked. She frowned at Kinza. They both started a trot across the compound towards the President's Office.

Rose fell asleep again. The Mew noticed, and drew some water from the nearby bathroom, and psychically had Rose drink it. She never knew she was drinking it. Mew then transferred a small amount of energy to the girl. Mew would keep her friend alive and well for as long as...

Mew sat up with a start. "Mew?" it asked. "Mew? Mew?"

"Help me..."

"MEW!"

Rose awoke to see Mew glowing brightly in her lap. That was the last thing she saw before she was blinded by a flash.

----------------------------

Lights, streamers of brilliant light flashed by as Jesse and James, Meowth, Captain Strom, and PK followed President Brock down the conduit. James found it thrilling - it felt just like riding the bow of a starship he thought.

"Pretty close," came a thought wave from the Captain. James now was elated!

Jesse, on the other hand, was not having as much fun. Worry for her friend outweighed the beauty of the lights passing by.

Meowth didn't like the falling feeling again. His panic threshold was dangerously close to a breech.

Something streaked by. A pink glowing orb of energy that left a trail of sparks behind. It vanished deep off into the distance, further than any of the falling group could see.

"That was close!" yelled PK. "Any idea where we are?"

"I would say we're taking the long way through the time-space dimensional barrier!" Strom yelled back. "Conduits like this can be long or short! They're never the same twice!"

"You've been through one of these before?" Jesse shrieked.

"Oh yes, many times," the Captain answered her. "By myself, and with my ship! Personally, I prefer this way!"

Jesse, now starting to catch some of Meowth's panic, gave Strom a bewildered look. "You do!?"

"Oh yes! You get a much better view - the wind blasting your face - you can even control the way you descend! And the best part is, you know that you'll come out fine!"

Jesse now was confused. She had fallen many times in the past from high altitudes. The end of those trips usually left much to be desired! "I don't get it! What do you mean?"

"Remember, we're really not falling - we're inside a conduit from one event horizon heading for the next event horizon! When we arrive at that distant horizon, we'll simply find ourselves standing somewhere! At least, we SHOULD find ourselves standing somewhere... this is a slightly different conduit than most I've been through..."

Meowth wasn't buying all of Strom's baloney. "Den what was dat sparkin' thingy dat blew past us a moment ago?!"

"That? I'd say we have another traveler with us! We're kind of limited by the staff President Brock is holding!"

"Great! We're working with out dated equipment!" mumbled Jesse.

"Oh, come on Jesse! Enjoy the ride! Weeeeeeeee!" James was becoming a goofball again! Oh dear...

Something red streaked by, going in the opposite direction they were heading. Then another... and another!

"Ahhh, James! Does DAT look like FUN!?" yelped Meowth as an ominous red glow appeared before them.

Strom moved forward, grabbing the President by his shirt. "Let's slow down our approach!" he told him, touching the staff on a brown band in its middle. He slid his fingers down to the bottom of the band, and it felt like their forward velocity slowed. The red streaks turned from red blurs into...

"RED HAUNTERS!" yelled Meowth.

"B-but, they're not moving!" James stuttered.

"Yet!" PK said.

"Oh, you're full of encouragement!" Jesse scolded.

Strom pulled the small device from his shirt, and switched it again. Jesse felt something, and saw Strom putting the device back.

"What is that Captain?"

"This?" he said, dangling the odd looking thing before dropping it back down his shirt. "This is what is called a 'Doorknob'. If I work around any psychics or telepaths, we have a tendency to short each other out! This thing blocks those signals, and lets us both work without distraction."

PK moved in front of Brock. "Incoming fire!" he yelled, and formed a energy field in front of them. A dozen Haunters and Gastlys bounced off the shield, most dispersing into vapors.

Strom pointed forward. Another field appeared, triple the density and size. He snapped his fingers, and the field shot away, coring out a path through the red mass before them.

"Who IS dis guy?" Meowth asked while clinging to Jesse's leg.

"Bring us up to speed, Brock!" Strom yelled. Brock, now knowing how to control the staff, put his fingers on the band, and raised them to the top. Red Haunters once again became a blur. PK remained in front, keeping the shield up, where the occasional red flash indicated that not all the Haunters, Gastlys and possibly Gengars were blasting themselves into so much smoke. The travelers huddled behind the President as they hurtled through the void.

PK saw it coming. "Wha..." was all he said before they hit. All went black.

"James!"

"Jesse?"

"Where are you?"

"Da heck hit us? Where are you's?"

"Meowth?"

"Dat's my name! Don't wear it out!"

"Quiet hairball! You're right next to me!"

"Oh yea? Den why do ya sound like yer across a big room from me?"

"What do you mean? You sound like you're... Meowth? Meowth? I'm trying to touch you Meowth! Where are you?

"Jesse! Here, I'll come to you! OOF!"

"EEK! Something just hit my leg!"

"Jesse!"

"Okay everyone! Settle!" It was the voice of Captain Strom.

"Roy, where are we?" Brock asked "What is this place?" Brock sounded like he was yelling from inside a coffee can - his voice was tinny and echoed slightly.

"Dimensional paradoxes! I think we've entered something's synapses!"

That went high over James' head. "What?"

Off in the far distance PK could be heard saying, "He's saying we just entered something's mind!"

"Something?" Meowth asked with fear trembling through his voice. "Do yas tink dis is Lugia's noggin?"

"Good chance!" Strom said. "Wait... let me see..."

The gang could hear some mumbling out in the dark - Jesse thought she heard something about "Goddess of Light" then some strange words - "Ki bangle ti nos cha!"

The darkness became light in an instant. Strom was illuminating the area, and everyone was able to see where they were for that moment. Everyone looked as if they were standing on something, but perspectives were distorted. Using Jesse as a center point, James stood behind her, but at knee level. A tiny Meowth stood beside her left ear. PK was a small dot out in the void. Brock, he WAS in a can, and he quickly pulled himself out. The can became the staff.

"Welcome to Wackyland!" James said.

Jesse saw the tiny Meowth. "Meowth! What happened to you?"

Meowth looked like he was running in place. He suddenly began to grow in size. Now he was the size of a Snorlax!

"Hey! I could get used to a place like dis!" he squeaked. "My voice! What happened to my voice!?"

"Sounds like you left it back there!" James said.

Meowth scuffed the 'ground', and tromped back until he was roughly the right size for himself. "I tink I'll stay an inch'r two bigger dan I was!"

Strom was lighting the area by holding a hand over his head - the light coming from an orb in front of it. He pointed in front of himself, turned slightly to his left, and let the orb fly. It shot off into the distance, once again leaving everyone in the dark. But the orb struck something, and a opening to somewhere was revealed.

"I know this will sound a bit odd, folks," Storm said, "but, HEAD FOR THE LIGHT!"

"Been there..." Jesse said.

"Done that..." James finished.

"Move it you's two!" Meowth yelped.

The group started to run for the hole. It grew in size as they approached, but something was wrong. Now it wasn't growing!

"The hole's closing!" Strom yelled. "Hurry!"

"Hurry everyone! Hurry!" The voice was coming from the other side of the hole. Someone appeared in front of the closing portal.

"Rose?" Jesse and Brock said together.

----------------------------

"President Brock! Do you hear me!?"

Doctor Joy and Kinza were standing at the doorway of the President's office. That was as far as they could get, as a force field had come up and shoved everyone that had entered the room out. Kinza was scanning the field with a scanning rod. He didn't like what he was reading.

"Well, the League sure doesn't have any field generators for this! And Mew isn't here... The readings I'm getting are a psychic reading, though..."

Doctor Joy pounded on the field. "We've got to do something! Look! He's running on his desk!"

"Well, the field is a complete shield... Exeter can't lock on with her transmats," an engineer said behind Kinza.

"How are you getting along with the fire suppressers?" the Tomassamassa asked.

"We just got them on-line... We have pin-point control... do you want me to put out the staff as well?"

Kinza looked at Joy, who had snapped a look of unbelief at the engineer. "We may have to..." he said.

Joy swallowed. "The League Staff hasn't ever been put out! I'd hate to be responsible..."

Joy was cut short by a beeping. Kinza reached behind himself and pulled out a communicator.

"Elb Kinza!" he barked.

"Mr. Button, Kinza. I understand you have a situation on your hands... Correct?"

"Yes sir!" Kinza replied in proper military style.

"Okay, listen to me Elb... Do not - REPETE - Do NOT interfere with the President's actions. Any attempt to stop him could jeopardize the lives and souls of what we can read as approximately 9 life forces that are currently on a rescue mission through an energy conduit!"

Kinza looked at the running Brock. "A conduit! Well, that explains a bunch! What about the fires he's starting?"

"Oh, that's right, he's got that staff of his, doesn't he? Try to suppress them as best you can, but DON'T put out the staff! Understood?"

"Understood! I'll keep you informed," Kinza replied. "Out!" He then looked over to the engineer.

"Try to pin-point the fires in the room, then try to refresh the air in there - I don't want him dying of smoke inhalation!" The engineer nodded and headed for a control room. Kinza and Joy looked down at the smashed bundle of roses scattered at the base of the door.

"Looks like PK remembered!" Joy said. Kinza shook his head.

----------------------------

Jesse blew through the hole first, followed by James, Meowth and Brock. The hole was now rapidly shrinking. Strom looked back for PK.

"Go Roy! GO!" PK yelled.

"Not without you!" he replied, knitting his brow. PK found himself within an energy orb just like the one Sabrina had put him in before. He shot through the hole like a bullet!

It closed behind him.

As it closed, the orb popped like a balloon, and PK rushed back to the now closed orifice.

"NO! NOT ANOTHER ONE!" he shrieked, firing a thundershock at the wall. Everyone jumped away as the electricity bounced around wildly.

"PK! PK!! Wasn't he just a mental projection?" Brock yelled. "Wouldn't he just return to his body?"

PK shook with anger. "I don't know. We're dealing with a great power here, and little knowledge of what it can do! I hope so..."

Brock put his hand on PK's shoulder. "Weren't you the one who said you fought Black Lugia before?"

PK looked at Brock, angry, sad, and now extremely depressed. "I didn't say I won... and it was from the outside, not the inside!"

Jesse and James were over by Rose. "This is Rose?" James asked.

"Hi Daddy!" she said with a grin.

"Daddy?" James said with a start. "When?" Jesse whacked James on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I guess I should call you Uncle Jimmy!" Rose said, still grinning.

"I'm really confused now!" Meowth said, floating by on his back.

Jesse shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I'm glad to see you again!" she said, then attempted to hug her 'niece'. She passed right through her! "What?"

PK and Brock saw what occurred and came over. This was indeed odd.

Jesse moved back to James' side, grabbing his arm... "I can touch you..." she said.

"There's only one reason for that," PK said. "Rose, how did you get here?"

She turned and looked behind herself.

"Mew!"

Jesse, James and Meowth stood with their mouths agape. The pinkish floating feline crossed over to them, and through them. It then returned to Rose's side.

PK looked like he had a migraine. "Mew... You overdid it!"

"Mew?"

"Mew, we're only psychic projections!"

"Mew - mew!"

"What? What?" James asked.

"Da floatin' kitty dere says dat it thought dat it would be better ta bring EVERYTING along!" Meowth translated.

"You mean, Rose is REALLY HERE!?" Brock said.

"Sorry, Uncle Brock!" she said sheepishly. "I woke up, and Mew was already into her teleportation mode!"

Now Brock looked like he had the migraine, as did Jesse.

"I guess they were that other traveler the Captain was talking about..."

Rose looked at James. "Captain... Not Captain Strom!?"

PK wasn't in the mood. "People, we can't do anything for the Captain! We've got to press on our mission! Rose, have you seen anything of your Aunt?"

"Oh, we found her," she said, "but we can't seem to help her... Just like Aunt Jesse, we can't touch her..."

"Show us, quickly!" Brock said.

"Follow me!" Rose said, entering an energy orb of Mew's.

The strange surreal landscape of this new area was confusing and perplexing. It had a mix of organic and inorganic structures, with flashes of mental images bursting then vanishing from view.

"Help me... please... help..."

"SABI!" Jesse yelled, starting to fly ahead of the group.

"Jess? Jesse? Help!"

"Jesse, stay back here with us!" PK yelled. No use, Jesse was already passing Rose and Mew.

"SABI! I'M COMING SABI!"

"Aunt Jesse! Look out!" Rose had seen the odd looking arm reach out, but too late in her warning to her Aunt.

The arm grabbed Jesse by the leg, twirled her around, the slammed her into a wall of arms, which proceeded to entwine her. She struggled, but couldn't move.

Rose looked back for help. What she saw was everyone else being grabbed by the arms.

"Mew! Psychic blast!"

"Mew!" cried the PokéCat. It formed a halo of energy around itself, the sent a wave of para-psychic energy through the arms. No effect.

"It's not going to work!" PK yelled. "You two are on a different plane than we are!"

Rose watched in horror as the group was all smacked against the wall of arms. She felt so powerless.

Jesse craned her head. Beside her! She was beside Sabrina! She looked so old!

"Sabi! Sabi! Do you hear me Sabi!?"

Sabrina weakly opened her eyes and looked up at her friend. "Hi Jess... I guess I got you all in a mess now, didn't I?"

"I don't know, this was the first one I remember... Do you do this often?"

Sabrina smiled and coughed lightly. "You'll get out of it... you HAVE to!"

Jesse was worried. Sabrina did know the future, and she swore she'd never give any of it away, but she was dangerously close to doing so. She changed the subject.

"What are these we're stuck with?"

"We are currently attached to Black Lugia's absorption wall. This is where it draws the energies from captured souls."

"Wonderful!" Jesse's choice of subject changes wasn't much better.

Rose was in a panic. She tried to grab arms and pull them off her friends, but she couldn't grab anything.

"Rose! ROSE!" PK yelled, getting Rose's attention. "Rose, go back to that wall you found us at... you should be able to pass through it... See if Captain Strom is still there! QUICKLY!"

Rose nodded, and she and Mew were off for the boundary.

They approached the wall. Mew pulled up and dropped her energy field from around Rose.

"What? Mew, why did you stop?"

"Mew!" it said, shook its head, and continued on without Rose.

"Hey! Mew! Come back! Don't leave me here!"

Mew moved up to the wall then slowly passed through it. Rose clutched her hands to her mouth.

Suddenly Mew was darting back through the wall, rushing back to Rose, as the wall smashed outwards in shards, and a giant multi-colored bird flew out!

"Phoenix!" Rose cried! "Phoenix! Over here!"

The gang heard a shrilling call.

"What was DAT!?" Meowth whimpered.

"I hope it isn't Lugia looking for lunch!" James croaked.

"I think it might be help," Brock said, "which is just as well!"

PK heard Brock's words, and the way he said them. "Why?" he asked. "What's wrong?

"The staff!" Brock said. These stupid arms have it pointing down!"

PK grimaced. "You're probably torching your desk as we speak!"

----------------------------

Kinza was eyeballing the stream of water while talking to his com unit. "A little higher... a little higher... careful! Any faster and you'll put out the staff! Careful!"

----------------------------

Jesse dropped her head. How would they get themselves out of this one?

A huge bird's head dropped down into view between Jesse and Sabrina. "Hello, ladies!" it said. "Care to be rescued?"

Sabrina just smiled as Jesse gawked. "Bird! Am I ever glad to see you!"

"Phoenix! Watch the arms!" came a cry from Rose behind him.

"SCREEEEEEEAAAAAH!" the bird cried as it spun away from the approaching arms. It spread its wings wide, it's long trailing tail wide, then let an energy burst go. The arms, the wall, everything within sight vanished.

The huge bird then moved below the newly released group. "Get on!" it said.

"What IS that!?" Jesse finally said, shocked at the bird. "Is this a Pokémon?"

PK sat down on the Bird's head. "No. Not by a long shot!"

"Then where did it come from?" Jesse said, watching Brock take Sabrina and gently sit down on the Bird's back.

Rose smiled at her Aunt. "Courtesy of Captain Strom!" she said.

"Oh..." she said, like that answered her question. "So where is the Captain?" she asked as she took her position on the Bird.

"You're RIDING him!" the Bird said... "Hang on! Those arms will regenerate quickly!"

"We're WHAT!?" Team Rocket yelped as the Phoenix flew back towards the hole it had made Mew and Rose close behind.

"Now, about that second team..." PK said to the bird as he lounged on his head.

Jesse, clutching a large feather on the Bird's back, watched Sabrina in Brock's arms. He was holding her hands with one hand, and stroking her forehead with the other, the staff laid between them. She opened her eyes and looked at the President, and much to Jesse's surprise, he bent over and kissed her. Sabrina closed her eyes, and rested her head in Brock's lap.

Jesse felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at James, who was motioning for her to get closer. She snuggled up to him. This was probably the most fun about this adventure she'd had so far.

"Hole's closing up!" the bird said. "Hold on!" He spread his wings forwards, and proceeded to fire a pair of plasma bolts from the leading fore-feathers on each wingtip. The barrier wall now burst to the inside.

They flashed into the blackened void that cursed them earlier, the light from the Bird's wingtips illuminating the way.

"MEEEOWTH! LOOKIT DAT!"

The PokéCat was looking and pointing behind them. Everyone who could turned around and saw an awful sight. The black void was breaking up behind them, each broken segment forming its own Black Lugia, and each segment was now heading right for them!

"Phoenix! Can you fly any faster?" Rose asked.

"I could, but I'd strip my riders right off! Hang on! We're almost out of this void!"

They burst back into the blue streaky space of the conduit they fell through before, only the Red ghosts were gone, absorbed into the forms of Lugias that were still in hot pursuit!

"PK, I think this would be a good time to use a bit of that power you've been saving for a rainy day!" the Phoenix told his rider.

PK looked back at the massing horde behind them then looked down at the face of the Bird. "Really? I have your okay?"

"DO IT!" the Bird yelled, feeling a yank on one of his tail feathers! A Black Lugia had snagged one and was trying to slow his flight.

"IEEEEEEEEE!" It was Jesse! She stood up on the back of the bird, and was glowing with energy!

"Cover your ears! She's going Banshee on us!" Brock said.

"Great!" the Bird said. "I CAN'T cover my ears! PK! Quickly! Thunder Swords!"

PK nodded, and flew off the head of the Bird just as Jesse erupted!

A flash of light, a burst of wind, a shriek of anger, and a bolt of energy flew back and struck the Lugia clinging onto the Bird's tail. It let go, and vanished. The rest of the horde began to move in.

"THUNDER SWORDS!" yelled PK. He was above the fleeing group, en massing a great glowing yellow orb of electrical energy above himself.

"Lookit dat!" Meowth said. "You tink da boss would want him now?" Jesse, back down next to James, squished the cat into the Bird's back.

Something was forming within the orb - sharp and pointy things!

"FLY!!" PK shouted as he threw the orb behind them where it burst open, flinging silver and gold swords back at the oncoming horde! Black Lugias were bursting like balloons!

"PK! Get back down here!" the Bird yelled. Once back on his head, Bird called back to his riders, "Right! Everyone hold on tight! KIE BAN NO FOOTA!"

"Well FOOTA to you too!" Meowth yelped. "What da heck is dis boid yapping about?"

PK clung close to the bird's head panting from his last attack. "What's it sound like to you? It's an enchantment!"

Meowth blinked. "You's mean hocus-pocus stuff? YEEEEEOWW!!"

Before he could get any answer, an energy wave formed before them, and they began to blast though the conduit. Looking up, they saw that Mew and Rose had little trouble keeping up with the group.

"WHOOO HOOO! Feel the breeze!" PK was yelping, hanging on as best he could. "So Bird, just what was that you said back there?!"

The Bird laughed. "Roughly translated from the Mirandian that it is, I said 'Feets don't fail me now'!"

"But you're not USING your feet!"

Bird shrugged. "Same difference!"

PK shook his head.

"Hey, PK!"

The Pikachu looked back at Brock, who was looking at his watch. "Yes?!"

"Shouldn't you be somewhere right now?"

PK smiled. "Already there!"

"What?"

"Hey, a little time jump here, and slight warp slide there, and I'm there!"

"Ah," the President said with a bit of an understated lack of knowledge to his expression.

"Hooray for temporal paradoxes!" the Bird said as it continued on.

----------------------------

"You have my answer Ash! No!" Brock managed to blow his cork, but keep quiet enough not to waken the babies. Impressive house daddy!

"Well, what if I asked the question?" came a voice from behind Ash. Misty turned and leaped into Ash's arms, eyes nearly coming out of her head!

"Look daddy! It's a Pikachu!"

"Hush children! You don't know where it's been!"

Brock's head was spinning, as was Misty's. That last pair of voices was coming from behind Brock and Suzy! Looking back, Brock saw the Vulpix pups looking over the bassinet, and Kelvin scolding them. "Now get back in there and take your nap!"

"Awww daddy! We're not sleepy!"

Brock looked back at Pikachu standing in front of him.

PK picked up a flat strainer that had fallen to the floor near a food prep area. He held it over his head like a halo. "Amazin' things happen when I'm around these days, ya know?" Then he grinned a naughtily little grin.

Ash rolled his eyes and put Misty down. "PK! Please!"

Brock stood there mouth agape. You could almost see his eyes!

"Pikachu, is it really you?" Misty finally broke the silence.

"PIKA!" he said exactly as he had in the past followed by his clearing of his throat, finishing in a false baritone, "except my vocabulary has improved a great deal since then!"

Finally Brock managed to say something... well almost... "But - but - but we saw you... We saw you..."

"Saw him what?" Pix asked.

"OKAY! THAT'S IT! WHY ARE ALL THE POKÉMON TALKING!?" shouted Brock.

From there, the interview went downhill as the babies chimed in.

----------------------------

The shield dropped in front of the President's door. A flash of light and the President stopped cradling empty air, and now had the form of President Sabrina in his arms, plus he had Rose and the Mew along side him. Kinza and Joy entered and saw who they were tending to.

"Honey, are you all right?" Doctor Joy asked President Brock.

He reached over and took her hand and gave it a kiss. "I'm fine, baby... Sorry about all this. Happy anniversary!"

Kinza was scanning Sabrina. He looked up at Brock with a perplexed expression. "Really?" he asked. Brock nodded. "Well, she must have the disposition of an ox! Otherwise, I would have thought she'd fallen right through your desk, and probably right through the building!"

Joy looked at Kinza confused. "What?"

"She's a spirit, just like Jesse and James!" Kinza said, pointing at the form in front of them.

Brock nodded. "And the new leader of Team Two."

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Star Trek TOS & TNG ©2000, 2007 Paramount Pictures  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission

Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	13. Storm Warnings

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Thirteen **

**Storm Warnings **

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall  
and  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy_**

Jesse, James and Meowth were having the ride of their lives! The creature that preferred to be called Bird was taking them back to their 'real' selves, last seen touching the body of the prone Sabrina back in the training facility at Lavender Tower.

Pikachu was still on Bird's head. President Brock, President Sabrina, Rose and the Level 14 Mew had been deposited back at the Stratus League Headquarters. That had been the first time the Team Rocket members has seen the facility, and they were impressed, even if it had been from such a great distance as from the top of the League's stasis barrier.

Bird then deviated from his course. He dropped through a dimensional barrier, and over the planet! The view was spectacular!

"Are we still in the conduit?" Jesse asked PK. He turned back to her, wind blowing his ears about wildly and nodded a yes.

"Why are we taking this route?" James next asked.

"Deflection!" Bird said. "I don't want Black Lugia to be able to follow us easily!"

James thought that odd. "But what about the League?"

Bird shook his head, as PK held on for dear life. "The Stratus League is capable of defending itself from Black Lugia. It isn't in danger... Besides, it's the smell of Bird it's after now!"

Jesse, James and Meowth looked at one another. Then they looked back. No Lugia...

"What Black Lugia?" they said together.

PK looked back at them and shook his head. "People, what have we been training all this time? The Bird is right... I can sense it... You're both spirits... put that training to practical use now!"

Jesse and James knitted their brows and felt around themselves... Nothing to the left of them... Nothing to the right... To the front was a pesky mouse... and to the rear...

The searing image of a pair of burning red eyes caught Jesse and James with their evil menace. They wrapped themselves together, clutching for all they were worth. Meowth managed to avoid the suffocation that would have occurred if he had been still between them by a whisker.

" Well... dat answers DAT question!" he grumbled. "So, what are yas gonna do ta get dat bad birdy off's yer tail, Bird?"

"The equivalent of the fox running through water to lose the hounds!" the Bird said. "Hang on tight!"

The Bird swooped down close to the surface. He skimmed over trees, left wakes crossing oceans, blasted the dirt from canyon walls, and otherwise gave his passengers the 'A' ticket ride. Jesse clutched hard into James, ever the roller coaster lover. Meowth just looked as if air-sickness was catching up with him.

Sweep to the left, a twist to the right, barrel roll! Loop d'loop! Break hard! Ascend!

Suddenly, they were back into the regular conduit. A light blue sky lay before them, a small bright white dot centered in front.

"YAA!" yelled Meowth, who was looking behind them. "We've got company!"

The space behind them, a darker blue than that was ahead of them, was beginning to darken further, and turn a deadly red. In its center was the dark blue form of a rapidly approaching Black Lugia!

"Oh, tell me we're not going to do those swoops and dives again!" Jesse moaned.

"You said it Jess!" Meowth agreed.

"Nope! 'Too close to our objective!" the Bird said. "A slight burst of speed, and we'll be there! Hang on!"

Jesse and James saw PK hunch down and grab feathers. They followed suit. The Bird started to pump hard on his wings just as the Lugia began it's final run. It began to fall behind.

The small dot of white suddenly became a huge white field. From this field, the real world faded into view for the travelers.

"Welcome back everyone." The voice was familiar, but didn't belong there.

Jesse looked at James as they released their touch of Sabrina's forehead. James released Meowth's head, which he had been holding like a basketball in one hand... and off the ground. Thud.

Pikachu also shook his head of the cobwebs that now filled it. He felt as if the "wind" that had blown through him had fluffed every hair on his 'body'.

Sabrina blinked, and sat up, feeling a slight pain in her forehead, where a pair of spirit's fingers had been touching her.

"Wakie wakie everyone!"

Everyone looked over at a filing cabinet in the corner of the control booth. They were more than mildly surprised by the sight they saw.

He was much smaller... roughly the size of a large eagle, but with extremely long colorful tail feathers.

"Bird!" PK said with a start. "You came with us?"

"What is he doing here?" James asked. "I thought we were only mental projections in there..."

Sabrina smiled. "The Captain is a very special person... hello Roy!"

"Hey, hey - I'm in Bird mode here, Sabi! How do you feel?"

She stretched. "Mmm! Much better, thank you!"

Jesse looked back and forth between Sabrina and the Bird. "Wait a minute... Just WHO IS this person... I mean bird... I mean... oh, I don't know WHAT I mean!"

PK shook his head. "We'd better introduce you before we lose our friends minds here, Bird!"

The Bird cocked his head and nodded.

PK floated up in front of the Bird. "This is the Battle Phoenix, or Phoenix for short... This is the animal transformation that Captain Strom uses when he goes into full power."

"Full power... what is dat?" Meowth stepped in.

"The Captain is a Supreme," Sabrina said. "A Sorcerer Supreme..."

"Ranked #1," PK added.

"It is his duty, as their leader, to patrol the users of psychic powers, magic, or spiritual energies, and to bring to justice anyone who would use their powers for evil," Sabrina concluded.

"Oh, kinda like a magic cop, ea?" Meowth got a very nasty look from the Bird for that comment. Sabrina giggled.

"El Ka!" the bird said. Instantly, it was replaced by the seated form of Captain Strom.

"Humph, I think I preferred the Bird!" James murmured. Pikachu gave him a slightly nasty foot charge.

"As I stated before, he is also one of my bosses..." PK continued. It was hard to tell by his voice whether that was a warning, or a moan of displeasure. But Jesse and James did notice the tone in his voice, and listened.

"So, what brings you here, Captain?" PK asked.

"Well, originally updates, and to see how far you folks have come... Sabi's situation only quickened my arrival."

PK sighed... he hated reviews.

-----------------------------

He seemed upset about the circumstances that were being dropped on him... I could only watch and wish him well...

My name is Fuego...

"What am I doing here?" the young man on the monitor grumbled after another failed attempt at catching the Haunter that was cackling above him.

I watched him stumbling around some strange looking obstacle course, a weird PokéBall in his hands. He had been getting help from his own Pokémon, a large talking Arcanine, but the Haunter somehow managed to capture the beast within a closet.

"Arcanine, where are you?" the lad yelled.

"In here," the muffled call of the Arcanine came.

"Why are you in there?"

"I'm locked in..." was his answer.

A click and buzzing was heard, as someone was keying a microphone. "Arcanine, you can just walk through the wall..." a lady's voice said.

"Oh..."

Seeing the noble beast walk through the wall with that embarrassed look on his face troubled me a bit... I looked back at Samuel, who scratched me behind my ear. He was worried too.

"This is the Golden R training center?" my Ayako asked. Samuel nodded.

"Your boss insisted that the second team be trained there..." Samuel said.

Ayako shuddered. This Giovanni made her skin crawl. I know. He makes my fur flare... Oh, sorry Samuel.

"Why is it that when I mention your boss, you flare up Fuego?" Samuel said, trying to cool off his hand.

"Flare, flare!" I respond. Hummm... the Pikachu must not be around...

"You've got that right, Fuego..." Ayako said, clutching her arms. "He's nothing like his father..."

Samuel looked at Ayako. "You understood what he just said?"

Ayako looked puzzled at Samuel. "Didn't you?" she asked.

"Ahumph... werf!" I said.

"Ooooh..." Ayako said with a smile. She grinned and winked at Samuel.

Samuel just shook his head. "Fascinating..." he mumbled with a smirk on his face. We looked at the monitor again.

"Jazzy... Jazzy... Just cool down..." the deep, soothing woman's voice came over the PA system at the training base. "The Haunter is only there to practice your sensing abilities. You don't have to capture it, just feel where it is..."

"Yes, Miss Myamoto..." he sighed. "I just wish I could SHOOT that blasted thing!"

"Shooting at ghosts doesn't work, you know that!" the calming voice said. "I haven't beaten it yet either."

Jazzy looked up. "You haven't?"

"No... just believe in yourself..."

"But... how am I supposed to get this thing?"

"By remembering just what you are!" another woman's voice called.

Ayako looked at Samuel.

"That sounded like Sabrina..." he said. "But, if she's here... how can she be there as well?"

Jazzy's look told that this one was a fighter - A young tough. I hope he listens...

"Damn it… So, what am I, Miss Natsumi!?" Jazzy swore. "What the hell AM I!?"

"You're a spirit... just like the Haunter! You work on the same plane of existence as it does... Now grab it!"

Jazzy grinned. The Haunter had been mocking him from behind. Jazzy whirled around, and SLUGGED the Haunter square in the face! It flew across the room and burst against a wall! It slowly reformed itself, its eyes spinning.

"Haunter!" was yelled over the PA system. Jazzy was breathing hard, grinning at his accomplishment.

Samuel stifled a laugh. "I don't think we should show that to James!"

"Feathers and beaks!" came over the monitor. "Just what do you plan on doing, young man? Punch every Red Haunter you see?"

I know that voice!

Jazzy looked up from the panting crouched position he stood in. Above him was a Pidgeotto. It wasn't flapping its wings - it was just standing there a few feet from the ceiling as if supported by a hidden power wire.

"Who are you?" Jazzy asked watching the bird preen itself.

I knew who it was... and I'm sure Samuel did too...

"Aero!" I said. Samuel nodded mouth agape. It took him a moment to notice I had spoken again.

"Anything good on today?" asked PK as he entered the room, a stranger following him.

"Roy!" Samuel said, noticing the stranger. "Is that Aero there?" he asked pointing at the monitor.

The stranger smiled at the vision on the monitor. "Ah, good old Feathers and Beaks! Yea, that's Aero all right. He volunteered to be the Pokémon translator for Team Two."

Aero had just said basically the same thing to Jazzy, who didn't seem to be buying it.

"I can already understand my Pokémon! Arcanine can speak!" he said.

"Yes, but what about me?"

Jazzy tuned around to see the Haunter, still trying to get its eyes back into their proper place.

"And me?"

A Vulpix in a corner of the room had just spoken.

Jazzy returned his gaze to Aero. "Okay... you're like the Pikachu... Pokémon can speak when you're around. Are you here to teach me as well?"

Aero shook his head. "No. Your trainer is in the booth."

Jazzy looked at the bird with a shocked expression. "TRAINER!?"

"Yup! The Trainer's got a Trainer! DEAL WITH IT!"

Jazzy took a swipe at Aero. His hand went right through him. Aero just looked at him.

Jazzy looked at the bird, plunking his fists into his side. He shook his head. "Well, at least I'm not dealing with being trained by the Twerp's Pikachu like Jessie and James!" he said aloud.

I guess he didn't know that he was being monitored.

I guess he didn't know one of those monitors was being viewed by PK.

I guess he didn't know how fast PK could move between places.

I guess he'll wake up in a day or two.

"If you'll all excuse me, I have a bit of time traveling to do... adios!" PK said with a grin to the cameras.

-----------------------------

"Okay... okay... I'll do it... Sign me up."

Ash was patting Brock on his back. Suzy was rubbing his shoulder. Misty was smiling in front of him, and PK, having time traveled enough so that he could be there as well as in the Training Center, was sitting on the table in front of him.

Face it son... you're surrounded.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked.

"Well," PK started, "we can't go back to the Pokémon Research Center yet... I'm still there..."

"Still there?" Brock questioned.

PK shook his head and held out his hands. "Time and relative dimensions! It's too hard right now to explain!" Brock shrugged.

"Well, I've been sending the members of my crew to the Lavender Tower," Ash said. "We all need the practice."

"L-Lavender Tower?" Brock mumbled. The last time he was there, the ghosts had tormented both Misty and himself. Still, she didn't seem to mind... She still had that happy look on her face.

Brock sighed - Returning to adventurous travel work. It had been awhile. Maybe he needed it. Even Suzy was urging him out the door. "You've cooped yourself up in here too long, Mr. Breeder!" He got up and went over to a closet. He reached in and pulled out his old beat up backpack.

The bottom dropped out if it.

An hour later, after a visit to the local sporting goods dealer, the trio moved out.

"Well, this is just like the good old days!" Brock said, back in his hiking duds and flack jacket.

"Almost," Ash said, turning into a parking lot. He pulled out some keys and opened the door to his old Chevy convertible.

Brock's jaw dropped. "You drive?"

"A year now... get in."

Tooling down the highway. A few years back, Brock, Misty and Ash would have killed for a set of wheels in some of their travels. Brock spread himself across the back seat of the Impala SS. What a car!

"Where did you get these classic wheels, Ash?" he finally asked.

"Mothballs! It used to be my father's. Mom stored it at the Pallet Garage since he left."

Brock shook his head. Ash rarely said anything about his missing father, and he just brought the painful subject up without thinking.

Ash looked in his rear view mirror. He saw the look on Brock's face. "She's a '65 Chevy Impala SS, all stock," he said, making it sound like the car was more important to him than its original owner.

"It's amazing you can still get fuel for it!" Brock said, hoping the subject would stay on the car.

Ash smiled. "Umm... the boys at PG's always kept her clean and operational..."

Misty switched on the radio. It was stuck on a Classic Rock station. U2 sang, "...But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..." Good traveling music, if a bit old.

The highway between the Scissors Street store and Lavender was long, straight, and nearly desert. There was little traffic to be seen in either direction. Brock leaned back and enjoyed the music and the ride.

"Don't come 'round tonight, for you're bound to lose you life... There's a Bad Moon on the Rise..." CCR sang from the radio. Brock sang the optional alternate lines of "There's a Bathroom on the Right..."

A flash from behind them caught Brock's attention. Looking over the back seat, he saw a black vehicle - a Jeep of sorts, possibly a Cherokee. But the license plate on the front bumper told him more than he wanted.

"Ash, I think we've got a Team Rocket vehicle following us!" he said.

Ash looked in his mirror. "Yea... that's our shadow."

"Our what?"

PK popped up between Ash and Misty on the front seat. "I told you, this was a joint venture! We're working WITH Team Rocket on this! So Ash gets a security shadow..." PK stopped short, and was looking skyward. Brock noticed.

"Pikachu, what is it?" he asked.

PK pointed. "And there's MY shadow... what are THEY doing here?"

Brock looked back at PK's stare. What he saw was out of this world, literally.

A flight of small attack craft flew overhead, following the road towards Lavender. The leader peeled off and headed back towards the cars. It slowed and cruised along with them for a short time, then moved ahead.

"Friends of yours?" Brock asked.

PK nodded, but didn't have time to answer. Something happened. He felt it run throughout his soul, and it was terrible. He looked behind them, his fur bristling.

"Are you all right, Pikachu?" Brock asked, seeing the odd look on the rodent's face.

"Stop the car!" PK yelled at the driver. "ASH! STOP THE CAR!!"

Strom felt it.

Jesse and James felt it.

The Sabrinas felt it.

Jazzy felt it in his sleep.

Myamoto and Aero felt it.

Even Fuego felt it.

PK was living it large.

Both vehicles came to a screeching halt, the Jeep nearly tail ending the Chevy. Pikachu stood on the back of the front seat, his gaze not moving. Brock followed that gaze, and felt the same wave of fear PK had.

"What's wrong Pikachu?" Ash asked, a bit miffed at the order to stop.

PK pointed at the sky behind them. "They're here!" he said.

Ash and Misty stood up in the front seat looking at the sky behind them. They were joined by the two Rockets from the Jeep. They all watched the red streaks coming out of the sky, heading for the town they had just left.

Brock was hurriedly pounding on a cell phone he had pulled from his backpack. "Answer, blast it, answer! - Honey? - Honey, no time! Get the children... Honey, listen! This is important! Get the children, and get out of there! Please! PLEASE HONEY! GET OUT OF THERE!"

Brock's message was interrupted for a moment as the 6 Scat Backs that had passed them earlier blasted overhead again, now returning in the direction they had come from.

Pikachu turned to Ash. "Let's get back there!" He then turned toward the first Rocket. "Mondo, inform your boss... this is an advanced scouting group!"

The brown haired Rocket gave a small salute, and raced back to his Jeep. PK looked at the other Rocket and shook his head.

The Chevy's engine roared as Ash spun the car around, sending it back down the highway they had already covered. An ominous red glow was beginning to form on the horizon.

Suzy hadn't fully understood the reasons for Brock's urgent message, but she knew if he said to get out of there, getting was the order of the day. She set the emergency PokéBall Transfer Unit to automatic. Her work as well as Brock's was busily being transferred to the Breeder's League. She then grabbed the baby carriers and put them into her family van.

"Werf!"

She turned around. Kelvin was standing at the doorway.

"The puppies!" Suzy dashed back into the store and grabbed the third carrier.

A growl behind her got her attention. Kelvin was in a defensive stance, legs spread wide, fur flying. Then she saw why.

The Red Haunter was in the doorway, its evil stare glaring down on them.

Kelvin protected his family.

-----------------------------

I couldn't stand it... I had to go!

"Fuego! FIRE WINGS!"

"Fuego! Fuego, where are you going!?" Ayako yelled as I took flight out of the observation room. I'm sorry Ayako, I'm needed.

As I traveled, I saw a blur move in beside me - A very familiar blur and most welcomed.

"Feathers and beaks, son! Where's the fire?" Aero said.

"Southwest of here!" I smiled. "Hey, can you show me how to do that hyperspeed of yours? We need to get there right now!"

In the next few moments, Aero showed me the special way to curl his wings to obtain the proper velocity to keep up with him. We blistered the sky!

As we approached the city, we saw the sky a deep red, small points of which were moving to intercept us!

"I've been told these creatures don't work with fire well!" Aero shouted.

I looked at my old friend. "You don't do fire, do you?"

Aero winked at me. "I do what I must do... and in this form, I can do a great deal more than when I was alive!"

Oh, that's right... he's a spirit! I nearly forgot.

Aero peeled off to the right, just as the first Red Haunter blew past me. I circled and doused it in flames! One down, too many more to go!

-----------------------------

125 mph! The car felt like it would come apart soon.

"Misty! Reach behind me and get Charizard's PokéBall!" Ash yelled.

Misty did so. "Now what?"

"Ash, you're not going to release a Pokémon from a moving car, are you?" yelled Brock.

Ash shot Brock a angry look.

"I'm not an idiot, Brock! Give the ball to Pikachu!" he yelled, returning his eyes to the road and the red glow ahead.

"Good idea," PK said, taking the ball from Misty.

"What's your plan?" Brock called.

Ash pointed up at a flaming creature battling the Haunters above them. "Fire is a deterrent against these Haunters! We need Charizard as a defense!"

Pikachu floated out of the car and slowed his velocity enough to release Charizard safely.

"Yo, what gives Pikachu?" it grumbled.

"They're heeeeeere!" PK answered, pointing skyward. "We need your flame for defense!"

"You've got it!" the Charizard grinned.

"Torch!" PK said, as the beast started to move out. He stopped and looked back.

"Listen, keep an open eye. I've seen the results of these Red Haunters, including what they can do to a Charizard." PK patted him on the cheek. "Just keep a watch on your tail, hear me?"

Charizard snorted a smile. "What'cha tryin' ta do, scare me?"

"Yes." PK then zoomed ahead to rejoin the group in the car, leaving Charizard pondering.

"Come on, fire-breath! We can use your help up here!" a Pidgeotto chirped as it blew by. Charizard grunted and followed.

Back in the car, Brock fumbled around looking for his PokéBalls. Misty watched him dig.

"What are you looking for Brock?" she asked.

"If fire gets these things, I'd better get Pix out, don't you think?"

"Good idea," Ash said.

Brock didn't get the chance to find the right PokéBall - it opened by itself, and deposited a howling Pix in the back seat with him!

"Kelvin! My dear Kelvin! NO!" it screamed.

Brock listened to his Ninetails bay a cry - a death wail. His blood froze.

"Ash, can't this thing go any faster?" Misty yelled over the din.

Ash was busy keeping the vehicle straight to answer Misty's question. His answer was directed to his Pikachu.

"Pikachu, fly ahead... check on the store!"

"You got it boss!" A yellow streak fired from the car.

-----------------------------

Suzy could hardly see, she was so weak from the drain. A black form was in front of her. It had once been Kelvin. She looked above her. The three Red Haunters were floating about the room. One was checking over the remaining PokéBalls that had been prevented from teleporting out. It would toss it into its mouth, a blackened ball falling out of itself each time. Fortunately, Suzy had managed to shut the system down. Otherwise a Haunter may have followed the other balls to their destination.

A flash of yellow lit the store. Suzy could hardly move her head to see what had made the light. Then there was a flash of red... then another... and another!

A large object entered the back room. It was yellow with golden white wings. It had a helmet on, and body armor and it looked as if it were holding a sword!

The Red Haunters saw it, and moved in. The sword made a whistling sound as it sliced the Haunters to pieces.

"Suzy!" the form said, and floated over to her. "Suzy, no!"

She felt tears fall on her blackened hand. She closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to gain strength that wasn't there. When she opened them again, PK was before her.

"The... babies..." she managed to say. "Van... in back..."

PK watched the life drain from his friend. She fell silent.

He stood in the now silent room.

Too late.

A whimper behind him raised his attention. He moved a box that had covered the third carrier, and he picked up the last of the pups. He walked out the back to check on the van.

-----------------------------

Charizard was blazing a trail through the Haunters. He was being followed by the Chevy and the Jeep. The sight of what the riders in the vehicles were witnessing aghast them.

Smoke billowed from vehicles that had crashed, their drivers beyond recognition. Black shapes, some standing like statues, dotting the landscape of what was just hours before a bustling metropolis. But everything from the east of the town in was silent.

The store was in a small mall-like area where vehicles weren't supposed to go. That didn't stop Ash, as he barreled the Chevy through the barriers. He came to a skidding stop before the shop. All around was quiet.

Brock had jumped out of the car before it had fully stopped. He tumbled and jumped up in an unexpected move. But he never made it to the door. PK was standing there, holding the Vulpix pup, tears flowing freely.

To Brock's left, a blue flash announced the arrival of Jesse and James, along with their trainer, Sabrina.

"You two... to the rear of the building, quickly," PK said through his tears. "Protect the occupants of the van back there!"

"Who are you to tell us..." James started, but Jesse hushed him, looking at the condition PK was in.

"JUST DO IT!" he snapped. The Rocket members quickly entered the building, heading for the rear.

Ash walked up to PK. "It's begun?"

"No. This is only a scouting mission," Sabrina said. She followed Jesse and James through the building.

Pix nuzzled up to PK and the pup. They both sat down and cried.

Brock slowly entered his store, Ash nearby holding his shoulder.

The babies cooed at the sight of Jesse and James.

"This is horrible..." James said. "I've seen what these Haunters can do already... but this is just too much!"

Jesse was about to say something when she felt their approach. She whirled about and looked down the service alley. The other end was a deadly red, and it was heading for them!

"James!" she said.

He looked back and pulled a GassyBall... one GassyBall against all those Haunters?

A gust of wind blew through the two Rockets, and a large Pidgeotto shaped object flew by, but it has silvery metallic wings, and it looked as if it was wearing a helmet! And a halo?

It tore through the center of the red mass, flashes of red bursting as it went. It was then followed by a flying Flareon, which fired a wall of flame into them. The bird and the Flareon then peeled away.

As much as the two Pokémon had torn through the Red Haunters, the mass was beginning to approach again. Jesse looked back at the babies in the van then walked to the rear of the vehicle, placing herself between the horde of red and the innocent.

"Jesse?" James asked mouth agape.

Sabrina came out the door in time to see what was going on, and stood beside her friend. They looked at one another and nodded.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" they started to chant, their eyes now glued on the approaching mass.

James crouched in front of the van. He saw Brock and Ash coming out the door.

"Get back!" he yelled. "Psychic wave!"

Brock didn't respond, but Ash did. He dragged his friend back into the building as the ladies powered up!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they now shouted, a blue energy field now surrounding them.

Aero's keen eyesight saw what was going on. "All defenders! Up and out! Now!" he called. Fuego, Charizard and two other fiery Pokémon pulled away from the alley. Scat Backs rotated their approaches and peeled out.

"AH!!!" cried the Banshee's wail. The energy fired in an orb of blue light, vaporizing the incoming Red Haunters, plus the majority of the backs of the buildings in the alley along the way!

The Scat Backs began a systematic approach towards the Haunters. Full shields, their frequency set to that of the Haunters, they'd just plow through the heart of them, bursting the ghosts like balloons.

This approach was working well, until...

Scat Back 4 found itself confronted by a Red Gastly, the first seen so far. It past right through the shield and entered the pilot's cabin. The ship immediately headed for the ground. Prior to striking the surface, the automatic systems fired the power core away from the crippled ship, the rocket boost launching it up and out of sight.

The remaining 5 Scat Backs pulled away from the ghosts. "Flight leader to Flight 1, set shields to the rotating setting, and slow your approach! Time to act like lawn mowers folks!"

A quick series of "Affirmative!" from the Flight, and they were back at ramming ghosts, be they Haunters, Gastlys or Gengars.

-----------------------------

I had come in on Aero just after I saw him change into those fancy duds he now sported. The wings alone were a sight to behold. Hot silver white, they sliced Red Haunters like a hot knife through butter! The barrel roll through the Haunters in that alley back there alone had wiped out at least 30 or 40 in one pass!

But something was wrong when next I saw my friend. He was pulling out of a dive through another group of ghosts. It looked as if he was dragging a wing. I flew in closer.

I could see right through his left wing! It was nearly gone!

"AERO!" I yelled, as I flew in under him and let him land on my back. I looked around for a landing site, and spotted PK down below. I dove in, torching Haunters and Gastlys as I went. I made it to the ground near PK, who was with a lady Ninetails.

"PK! PK! Over here!" I barked, trying my best to lay Aero down as gently as I could.

"Zapdos above!" PK said, coming over to see Aero. "They nearly got you there, old friend!"

"Ha!" the old bird cracked. "It's this young pup's flying that nearly did me in there!" he kidded me, the pain evident in his voice.

PK shook his head. "You'd better power down there... conserve your energy!"

Aero nodded. As I watched, the silvery wing on his right turned back into his normal wing, and the helmet vanish. It must have been some drain, because his left wing nearly returned.

"Look out!" the Ninetails said. I looked up, and saw Haunters approaching.

"I think I gave them a taste!" Aero said, rolling over to get to his feet. "They want the rest!"

"They'll have to go through me to do it!" I yelled, and spewed fire in a arc. The Ninetails joined in. We dropped Haunters and Gastlys left and right!

Aero looked at PK, and what he was holding. He nodded his head at the bundle.

"This is Pix's last surviving pup..." he said.

Aero watched us flame the ghosts. He looked at the Ninetails PK had called Pix and her pup and dropped his head.

"The Stratus League knows all, sees all, does all," he said.

"What?" I heard PK say

"I'm endangering you all by being here... The ghosts have my taste in their mouths, and they'll do anything to get it... Fuego... tell Samuel... goodbye."

Before anyone could stop him, Aero was running along the ground, flapping as hard as he could to take off. He remained low, and he did accumulate great speed. And he was correct. As soon as he moved off, the ghosts followed. A sudden dart skyward, and Aero was blistering the air with his hyperspeed, slowed slightly by the loss of energy and mass. It looked as if he had passed behind a cloud of red, but when he failed to appear out the other side, we feared the worst.

"ROARRRR!!"

A great painful cry was heard overhead. I looked up to see a Charizard. A Gastly had just passed through its right wing leaving a blackened spot! It turned and vaporized the offending Gastly with a burst of flame. The black spot on its wing vanished!

"Did you see that?" PK asked slowly.

I nodded, but I didn't know why... PK told me...

"As soon as the energy was released, it reverted back to where it came!"

I was about to ask PK the meaning of it all, when we needed to dive for cover. A large military type vehicle jumped a curb as it tore around a corner nearby. It came within inches of crushing two nearby cars as it ground to a halt in front of us. The strange vehicle looked as if it had been built on an old army half-track. On top was a strange looking funnel of sorts, attached to a large containment vessel. And the machine seemed to be known to the ghosts, as they seem to move away when it stopped. We soon found out why.

"FIRE!" was yelled from inside the contraption, and the funnel began to hum. Gastlys, Gengars and Haunters that hadn't moved away fast enough were now being drawing into the machine, and not coming out!

"Hey! HEY! HEY!!" I heard, and saw PK being drawn airborne, crying Vulpix pup and all! I grabbed his tail and held on for dear life! I soon had help from Pix, but it took all our strength to keep PK from flying away!

-----------------------------

"J-James? Can you move?" Jesse asked, plastered to the nearby wall.

"Not a mussel!" he mumbled with his face into the same wall.

Sabrina shook her head and headed through the store to confront the problem. In front, she found it. She saw the Flareon and Ninetails holding onto PK's tail, valiantly keeping him from the fate of the ghosts nearby.

"CEASE FIRE!" she yelled at the half-track.

The machine gave a yelping whine, then could be heard powering down. PK found himself hurled backwards, as the two fire Pokémon's strength finally outdid the dying pull of the machine's energy field. Jesse and James splattered onto the ground.

But the skies nearby were clear and blue again, with only the occasional red streak.

A hatch unscrewed and popped open. Bill stuck his head out. Sabrina put her hands on her hips and gave him a 'Yea, it had to be him' look.

"What?" he said at the odd look. "My machine works! The ghosts were yanked right in!"

"As was Jesse and James nearly, and PK here!" Sabrina yelled back. "What IS this thing?"

"It's basically an enlarged version of the GassyBall, complete with a trapping field that yanks all ghosts into the capture field! And here's the best part - THEY power it! Once the ghost is trapped into the machine, the stored energy that they contain powers the two fields!"

PK stood there aghast. "Bill, you don't know what you've done... Oh Zapdos above, Bill, what HAVE you DONE!?"

Bill gave the yellow rodent a confused look. "What? I've trapped the ghosts and used their energy? So?"

PK gritted his teeth. "Bill, think... where did that energy come from?"

"Well, it came from..." He looked around at the small groups of blackened shapes around him, his face turning white. "Oh my... I hadn't thought..."

"Its not gonna get any better, Bill... We saw Ash's Charizard get hit by a Gastly... A black spot formed on its wing where the ghost went through it. He turned and fried it. The black spot disappeared!"

"The energy was returned!" Bill exclaimed. "Well, I can discharge this unit as well... maybe that will give the energy back to where it came from in the first place!"

PK stood up and floated over to Bill. "Do you think it would work on people and Pokés as far gone as these around us?"

Bill looked down into his cockpit. "I don't know... everyone has a different frequency for their body energy, their aura, so to say... My spectral energy gauge is all over the board. I would assume that the energy would seek out its original host..."

"Only one way to find out," Sabrina said.

Bill nodded, and dove into his cockpit. "Right! Setting for energy discharge... energy only, spectral energy settings for the ghosts set... containment field engaged... standby for discharge! 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0!"

It was sudden and rather loud. An energy ring expanded out from the machine followed by three more. They reached about 100 yards away then broke up into streamers of energy.

To the right of the half-track was a small group of blackened forms. A number of the energy bands descended on them, encircling six of the forms.

The black faded, revealing humans and Pokémon again. But that was all. Two of the standing figures fell over. Bill jumped out of the half-track and followed Sabrina over to the group. He checked on the bodies... all still quite dead. No magic bullet.

"Well, I'm not done yet!" PK angrily stated, handing the Pix Pup to Sabrina. "You had all better stand back!"

Everyone saw his cheeks glow red and start to spark, and jumped for cover.

"CHUUUUUUUU!!!" he fired.

The area around the bodies was electrified! When the jolt was gone, three of the bodies were groaning.

"PK, you're a walking defibrillator!" Bill said, kneeling down next to a young girl who was showing signs of life. "The attack of the Red Ghosts was probably fast enough to freeze their bodies at that very moment."

"Energy siphoned off in an instant," PK said, panting. "That's what the Stratus League scientist found. We've got to find as many electric Pokémon we can, and quickly!" he added, looking up at Sabrina.

She watched the energy streamers twist and swirl, as if in search of their origins. "Agreed. Once the energy is in their bodies, the clock starts. We only have a short time before physical degradation takes place, and no means possible will bring them back."

"At least on this plane..." PK mumbled. The rules were rules, and he was going to have to follow them, whether he liked it or not.

A flash of light caught his and Fuego's attention, followed by a clatter of metal nearby. The Flareon examined it, and found a left set of silver-white metallic wings. PK scowled. Fuego lay down and just stared at them.

A wisp of energy swirled around the opened door to the shop behind them. PK watched it move inside.

"It didn't work here," he heard Bill say. He turned to see him cover a woman's face with his jacket. The energy had returned, but not any life… Another one for the Black Lugia.

But perhaps not another. PK headed for the store.

"Kadabra!" Sabrina shouted. Her Pokémon appeared instantly.

"Ma'am?" it said.

"Kadabra, multi-form!" she commanded.

"How many?" it asked.

"Until I say stop!"

Kadabra nodded then divided. Then the two divided. Four became eight. Eight became sixteen. Sixteen became thirty-two.

"Enough!" Sabrina told the sixty-four Kadabra. "You saw the way Pikachu resuscitated these people. I want you all to go out and find those the energy strands have returned to us and try to do the same... Use psychic jolts at low power. GO!"

-----------------------------

The Scat Backs saw a problem. Even with the elimination of most of the ghosts in the center of town, many more were still coming in through the portals to the east.

"Strom to Flight 1..." they heard over their com systems. "Clear sector 4... We're about seal the portal... Stand by!"

"I won't ask how you plan on doing that, Roy..." Kinza said, piloting the Flight Leader's Scat Back.

"Consider this a rather sizable cork!" was the response.

As the small attack craft cleared the area, the air in the area of the ghost's portal started to wave and distort. Suddenly, out of sub-space dropped Forrestal, her shields burning. The sudden large mass within the portal zone caused the rupture to close.

"Oops, did we do that?" came over the com system. They weren't supposed to help, just observe. 'Course, accidents will happen! Forrestal quickly climbed out of the planet's atmosphere.

-----------------------------

The shop was dark. PK had seen it this way earlier, but this time there wasn't any red glow to show him the way. The energy strand was running along the ceiling, only slightly illuminating the area. He watched it enter the back room and he followed.

Ash was standing comforting Misty, who had been crying ever since she had come into the back room and saw Suzy. Brock was sitting in a crouched position, just staring at the form that had once been his wife. Jesse and James were standing outside the missing wall just watching, the baby carriers between them. James had timed the children out, in respect for the moment.

"I never thought I'd feel sorry for the Twerp or his gang..." James said in a hushed voice.

"I feel like my mother just died again," Jesse said, tears flowing as she rested her head on James' shoulder.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" a young man said, coming up to Jesse and James. "Why are you crying, Jessie?"

Jesse looked over at the lad. "Do I know you young man?"

"Know me?" he puzzled then it struck him. "Oh, I get it... You're not MY Jessie!"

"You still have us at a disadvantage, my good man!" James interjected. He looked in at the back room, and saw that the noise was a disturbance. He timed everything out at that point.

"Whoa! Coool!" the stranger said.

"Well, that answers one thing," James said. "Since I just timed everything out, and you're still moving, that means you're a spirit like us!"

"You got it! Jazzy, Team Two!" he said, shaking James' hand.

James glanced at Jesse, who just shrugged. "So why are you here?" he asked.

"The Red Haunters! They entered this dimension, and I felt it right through me! It's like they drew me here! The Boss didn't want me to go, but I couldn't resist! Hey, what's going on in there?"

James grabbed the young man's shoulder before he could enter the gaping hole in the wall. "Please do not disturb them..."

Jazzy looked closely. The fuzzy man and girl were vaguely familiar, but the crouched man was still easily seen as Brock. "That's Team Twerp!" he said out loud. "You're helping Team Twerp?"

"We are helping each other," Jesse said with a raised eyebrow. "The situation requires it!"

"Man, they look so much OLDER than the last time I saw them! What's going on there anyway?"

"Please show some respect! That form on the floor in front of Brock used to be his wife!"

Jazzy's eyes grew large. "What happened to her," he whispered.

"I take it that this is the first time you've seen the results of a Red Haunter's attack..."

Jazzy nodded, looking at the frozen diorama before him. Suddenly, movement in the upper right corner of the room caught his attention.

PK darted around a table, watching something on the ceiling. Then he saw the statues in front of him, and the Rockets in the background.

"Oh, for the lov'a Clefables! James, why is everyone timed out!?"

"A visitor!" he said. PK looked around Ash and saw Jazzy. He snorted.

"Unfreeze them, quickly!" he said, returning to watch the roof. Jazzy bent down to see what the rodent was watching as well.

"What is that?" he asked as the Twerp Squad returned to full movement.

"Brock! Back up please... there is hope coming!" PK said.

Brock looked at PK and noticed him looking at the roof. He looked up, and saw the gray-white mass of energy descending from the ceiling. It split in two and entered the two blackened forms on the floor.

"Stand back everyone!" PK said, and readied a charge. The blackened surface of the bodies vanished. The cream white body of Kelvin returned. But the energy seemed not to do as much for Suzy. Her hands returned to a normal look. Her head and shoulders returned. But the rest...

"No..." PK said... "NO! THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE! PLEASE, THERE HAS GOT TO BE MORE!"

"PK! PK!" someone was yelling at him, as he stared at Suzy's still form. "PK, the time limit! Don't forget Kelvin!"

PK slowly looked across the room. Sabrina was standing there pointing at the body behind him.

Kelvin! The Pikachu moved over to the Ninetails, and fired a short volley. It twitched, but that was all. Another shot, another failed attempt.

PK was now furious. Jazzy could have sworn he saw flames from the rodent's eye, something he had never witnessed before, even in past run ins with his own version of the beast.

The anger overwhelmed him, and his last volley was a full charge thundershock. Kelvin awoke. But the energy was not focused, and hit the form of Suzy as well.

She stirred, much to everyone's surprise.

"H-honey?" Brock said, crouching down to his wife as she opened her eyes. She smiled an extremely weak smile.

"What is that?" again Jazzy asked, as someone new had entered the room.

Kinza had just landed his Scat Back out front. Misty's eye locked onto the odd creature, this being the first time she had seen the Tomassamassa, even though Ash had described him well. Even though this was also the first time for Brock to have seen him, he let Kinza get close to his wife, without fear. He felt... a friend had come.

Kinza drew out his scanning rod and reader, and checked over Suzy with a quick scan. The look on his face told all. He stood as Brock clutched his wife, and she managed to touch him back.

Ash and Misty moved next to Sabrina as Kinza came over and rechecked his scan readings.

"Well?" Sabrina and Ash asked nearly at the same time.

Kinza shook his head. "Insufficient mass... she won't last long, even if we got her to our sick bay," he whispered.

"I shouldn't have blown my cork there, should I have?" PK asked, not expecting an answer.

"You gave them a few more moments together," Kinza said. "That's what counts."

Misty turned and sobbed on Ash's shoulder. Sabrina quickly turned and left the room. If she was to cry, she did not wish the others to see.

Jesse and James held hands. They looked down to find Jazzy on the ground, sitting with legs crossed, just staring at the scene that he beheld.

"Damn... What are we dealing with here?" he whispered aloud.

-----------------------------

"Good evening, ma'am, sir," the gatekeeper said. "Your flowers sir..."

"Thank you Ed," the President of the Stratus League said, taking the bundle of roses from him as he got out of the car. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes sir... privacy is assured."

"Fine."

The older Brock found life in the Stratus League odd. Here he was with his current wife, Doctor Joy of the Stratus, walking through a deserted park in Pennsylvania. Because of the strange ways time and space worked within the boundaries of the League, today was the day 30 years prior that his first wife had died. And yet, even with the strange quirks of the League's boundaries, it was quite possible for it to be a total fiction. He was there walking with Joy. Yet he knew that if the Brock from the past died, he could still exists, such was the odd ways of para-dimensional chronal engineering.

Doctor Joy drew Brock closer and rested her head on his shoulder, as they entered the cemetery. Brock stopped.

"What is it?" Joy asked.

"We'll have to wait..." Brock said, nodding his head forward. Joy looked at the couple ahead of them at the lone marker in this section of what is called "Breeder's Row."

"I thought Ed said we would be alone," she said.

"He wouldn't know about these two," President Brock said as he watched his younger self and his then bride, Chairperson Sabrina, place a bundle of roses at the marker for Suzy Takeshi.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission  
"I Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For" ©1987 U2/Island Records  
"Bad Moon Rising" ©1969 CCR/Fantasy Records

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	14. Firing Orders

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Fourteen **

**Firing Orders **

**By R. A. Stott**

_**Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
"Team Rocket - Terminal Solutions" by Steve Brunton,  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall  
and  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy**_

It had been a long hard drive that day. The memorial service had been that morning in Pennsylvania. The flight had been that afternoon to Celadon, the nearest airport to Lavender, since the true nearest airport was still closed due to the disaster of the Scouting attack.

The old Chevy sat outside the tower, still warm from its long drive. He walked up to the old car and placed a caring hand on the dark maroon paint job. He smiled, and continued towards the tower's base-camp of trailers and test centers.

The two Rockets assigned Ash's 'shadow' stood at attention as he passed.

Trailer 1, what was once the science trailer had been converted into living quarters for the Jesse and Baby Rose that PK and Spirit Jesse had saved from a strip wave attack on Level 6.4. Brock sat in the living room watching his twins play with the baby Rose and Pink Lady. Just being in the same room with such a special Pokémon should have made him excited. But, he had other thoughts on his mind. The Breeder's League had donated the grave site and paid for the gravestone and service. The business - gone. His life - shattered, again.

"Brock? Brooock? Hello? Anyone in there?"

Brock broke the stare he had locked on the children. He looked over at the Jesse who was giving him a worried look. He smiled and dropped his head. It certainly had been a long day. This had also been the first time he had seen 2 Jesses in the same room - one caring, motherly and friendly, the other, a spirit who didn't seem to hate him as much as once before, but still only seemed to tolerate him.

"I'm here, barely..." he said with a tired smile. "Thanks for watching the kids today!"

"It was a pleasure, my dear," Pink Lady said.

"They were the perfect pair all day," Mother Jesse added.

He smiled. "Suzy... Suzy always made sure they behaved... All that breeder she had in her, I guess..."

"Get some sleep son," Pink Lady said, patting his leg. "You've got a busy day tomorrow."

"We'll take care of the children... take the spare room in the back," Jesse added, putting Brock's dress jacket over his shoulders. She then gave him a little kiss on the forehead and a rub on the head.

He nodded, stood up, and, with a glance back at the children, trudged back into the spare room.

Mother Jesse stood, watching him close the door behind him. She then sat down in the chair vacated by Brock moments before.

"I'm worried about him..." she said to the Pikachu.

"He'll survive... He's very - resilient," Pink Lady said.

"I remember hearing you say that," a voice by the front door said. "I guess that you were right..."

Pink Lady crossed her arms and tapped her foot. Mother Jesse's eyes grew large.

"Mr. President, what are you doing here?" Pink Lady said with a touch of concern in her voice.

"We've reached a break-point. The next few days, the next few hours will be extremely hectic. I need to see Ash and his team."

---------------------------

Kinza didn't like it - he didn't like it at all. And that itch was back. His eyes darted back and forth between the bonfire in the center of the compound and everyone gathered there for the meeting.

And Giovanni had just walked into the assembled Ash Team conference. He smiled a sneer and looked over the gathered members.

Blaine and his Magmar and a Charmeleon.

Lara Laramie and her Rapidash and Growliths.

Lt. Surge and his Raichu and an Electrabuzz.

Misty, with Brock's Pix, and her own Golduck and Ash's Lapras.

And the surprise member of his group - Gary Oak, and his Arcanines. Even Ash was surprised when he arrived. He seemed different these days, less "into himself" as Misty had whispered to Ash. Perhaps it was college...

"A fine assortment of people you have assembled, Mr. Ketchum," Giovanni said to the startled group. "Is everyone here?"

Ash gave the leader of Team Rocket a nasty glare. "No... I've got Samurai, Tracey and Richie out on searches," he grumbled.

"Hum... no doubt, looking for the Legendary Birds, ea?"

"Who IS this guy?" Gary blurted out, obtuse as ever.

"Hold your tongue son!" the Boss said angrily to the younger Oak he now had to deal with.

"Wait, I remember you!" Gary blurted. "You're the gym-leader of the Viridian City Gym! You had that incredible unknown Pokémon that beat my Arcanine!"

Ash looked at Gary with a confused expression. "What are you talking about Gary?"

Gary whirled around. "You don't remember? We met outside the Viridian City Gym and I got to go in and fight for an Earth Badge?"

Ash gave Misty a glancing look. She shrugged and said "Err... vaguely..."

"They wouldn't remember..." a voice from behind the group said. Everyone turned towards it. Giovanni shrunk back, fear rolling through his soul.

PK floated into the compound, the bonfire illuminating him brightly. He was followed by a strange looking gray Pokémon who also floated in. He in turn was followed by a smaller pinkish Pokémon.

Sabrina felt their presence and came running out of the practice center with Jesse, James and Meowth. When Jesse and James saw the large gray Pokémon, they stopped in their tracks then slowly walked closer. Something ... there was something about this creature that was... familiar...

"That's IT!" Gary said, taking a step back.

Ash looked at the strange Pokémon... he too knew it from somewhere, he just couldn't remember where.

The creature raised its 3 fingered paw. "I come in peace, friends... I have resolved my conflicts with your kind... including YOU, Giovanni..."

"What ARE dose t'ings?" Surge mumbled to Blaine, who was awe-struck at the sight he was seeing.

"I've never seen the large one..." he whispered back, "but the pink one is a MEW! The rarest Pokémon in the world!"

Giovanni still stepped back as the Pokémon floated to the opposite side of the bonfire from him.

"M-MewTwo!" he stuttered.

"Times two," was said behind him. He turned to see President Brock, and ANOTHER MEWTWO!

"What is this?" Giovanni yelled. "We only cloned ONE MewTwo!"

The word 'clone' bounced between the trainers.

"I am not the MewTwo from this dimension," the creature next to the older Brock said verbally. "I am the MewTwo from Level 14. I am called M2, by those who saved me. You may as well."

PK squirreled a perplexed look. "I thought we were told that he blew himself up when brought, err, on-line?"

"I destroyed the labs and everyone that created me, yes... I - overreacted..." he said, lowering his head. The other MewTwo took notice of this.

"You seem more sensitive than I was when I came into being..." the first one telepathically said.

M2 nodded. "I felt... remorse for the act... not to whom I did it to, but for the act itself. I never tried to understand just what I was doing there until it was too late... But once I had done what I did, I began to search for those who might understand what I was - who I was..."

The President nodded. "He found Exeter..."

PK laughed. "You're kidding..."

"Exeter?" Misty asked.

"One of the starships helping us," PK answered. "I bet Caroline was surprised to find you!"

"I found her... A nice lady... very understanding... She named me..." the second MewTwo smiled.

"You've found peace, my brother?" the first MewTwo spoke aloud. PK looked back at him with surprise that he would speak in such a way.

"I have now... But I've lost everything else... those I would call friends on my world... As I watched the destruction of my world... as I fought the Red Ghosts sent to destroy me... I felt a presence of a possible escape... They were watching me... and I could watch them."

First MewTwo nodded. "I can feel them now..."

"What?" Ash said.

PK moved over to him and whispered, "Forrestal, remember? She's still in orbit. He can feel her scans."

"Yes, but I can not feel her Captain... nor can I feel you, my brother..." the MewTwo said.

"It is because of this..." the second MewTwo said, holding up a device hanging around its neck. "They called it a doorknob..."

Brock nodded. "Needed... If he wasn't wearing this, you two would short each other out... That's why Captain Strom wears one..."

Ash's head was spinning. Who was this older person who looked like Brock? What are these Pokémon? WHAT'S GOING ON!?

"What's going on, my friend Ash Ketchum, is the protection of this planet from the Black Lugia," the pinkish creature floating before him said in a telepathic message. "My son, perhaps you should release your mental block on their memories, so that we may continue unhampered?"

First MewTwo gave a slight laugh. "As always, you are correct, Mew... I restore your memories, Ash... Misty... Pika..."

"I have my memories, thank you!" PK said, a paw held up in a 'don't go there' position.

MewTwo bowed, and continued. "Jesse, James, Meowth..."

"What? Us?" the trio said as they flashed briefly, as did Ash and Misty.

"Don't forget my sleeping self in the trailer..." President Brock said. The MewTwo nodded, and a flash of light from a window on the trailer let them know it had been done.

"New Island!" Ash said aloud. "The time we found ourselves at the terminal for New Island! I remember now!"

Misty held her head. "W-why did we forget something like that? Y - you DIED, didn't you?"

Ash was more interested in something else. "Sleeping self?" he asked. "Are you really Brock?"

The President walked over to Ash and put his hand on his shoulder. "It's good to see you again, Ash," he said, a slight smile rolling across his face.

"What happened?" Ash said, looking at the older person beside him.

"Nothing happened, Ash... Technically, I am from your future. I am the current President of the Stratus League."

"From my future... And current President... as in right now?" Ash pondered aloud.

"You said it right Ash, but I'm pretty sure you haven't grasped it yet..." Brock said with a wry look on his face. Sabrina giggled with that comment. "The Stratus League works within its own time and space. It's a rather complex formula, and even I haven't ever really been able to completely discern it..." he continued. "But let's just say - Yes, I am the future representation of the man that is currently sleeping over in the trailer, and at this very moment in time, I am also the current President of the Stratus League."

Ash almost looked at President Brock with crossed eyes. "As clear as ever, Brock." Ash mumbled.

"This is all fine and well," Giovanni snorted, "but what does this have to do with our being asked to come here?"

Ash gave Giovanni a perplexed look. "Asked to come here? Who asked you to come here?"

"I did," the President said. "We are waiting for the last invited guests."

"Well, I'm here..." a very familiar voice was heard from beyond the group.

"Gramps!" Gary yelped and headed over to meet his grandfather. Along with him was Bill, Ayako and Fuego, and another person. Just like Professor Oak, this person wore a lab jacket. He also wore glasses, and his jacket had a red 'R' on the breast pocket. But when he saw Giovanni and Brock he stopped in his tracks, looking between the two.

"President Brock... Boss…" he said in a questioning but polite way.

"North..." Giovanni said in return then asked Brock, "Why has the leader of Tech Lab 1 been called to this meeting?"

"I felt that his input would help out, and seeing what I'm about to present to you, he would benefit from the information as well..."

Giovanni nodded a reluctant agreement and turned away.

Ayako touched North on the sleeve. He nodded towards the Boss. "Stay with Gio," he said.

"Uh, must I?" she said, a bit apprehensive.

"Don't worry, he doesn't bite... much... I'll be there as quickly as I can..." he said, sending her over towards him.

"Flare..." Fuego grumbled.

"Behave," North said, and walked over towards the President.

"Robert," the President smiled.

"Brock, are you out of your mind?" North whispered through grinning teeth. "He doesn't know about this!" North pointed at his belt buckle. The red 'R' turned golden. "He's not ALLOWED to know!"

"Then I suggest you keep your jacket buttoned!" Brock said. "You are here simply as a representation of Team Rocket's Technical Section."

"See if I give you any more help in your lab-work!" North gave a friendly chide back.

"I wish I knew where your leader was," Giovanni said to Ayako as she stepped beside him.

She looked at Giovanni. "Sir?"

Giovanni was stewing about something. "Your Golden R... A stupid rule... I am Team Rocket! I made it what it is today! Not the Golden R!" he fumed. He glanced at her PokéBalls, slung on her belt loop, all with little gold 'R's on their beam emitters.

"Yes sir... Team Rocket did precede the Silph Company though..."

Giovanni gave Ayako a fast glaring look. "Ah, yes... I nearly forgot... you were part of that foolish cryogenics project of my grandfather's..."

"Your father's actually..." she corrected.

"Be that as it may..." Giovanni said, starting to see red, "you come from a time when Team Rocket's priorities were, shall we say, different?"

"I wouldn't know, sir... Have they changed?"

Giovanni stood back and looked at his Black Shirt with an attitude. "Do I sense a lack of dedication, Miss Ayako?"

"I am a dedicated member of Team Rocket, sir! I wouldn't be a member of the Golden R if I wasn't!"

Giovanni crossed his arms and frowned. "As you say... The Golden R has been the most dedicated of my Rockets. And the Rocket Board of Directors insists on keeping them as a separate unit of Team Rocket - but they also insist on the same archaic rules that Grandfather installed when the Golden R was first created. I, as the leader of Team Rocket, am not to know the true leader of the Golden R... Now, you're from that era... Why was it that dear old Grandfather came up with that rule?"

"Per the rules of the Golden R and Team Rocket, sir, I am not allowed to say, SIR!" Ayako said as she snapped to attention. Fuego grunted a snarl.

"Yes... I would have doubted your loyalty to the team if you had told me, even though you ARE the second in command... though I still doubt your loyalty to ME... I should send in the TS..." he sneered.

"Please, you're giving me a headache!" M2 said, intervening between Giovanni and Ayako. Giovanni moved away from the MewTwo, unsure and uneasy about the creature.

"Thanks M2," North told him as he came over to rescue Ayako. The Pokémon smiled and nodded.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Ayako sighed as she let out her pent-up steam. She grabbed his arm and leaned into him. "Please?"

"You knew the job was dangerous when you took it my dear!" North kidded her. "We're almost ready… stand by."

"Yes sir," she said and stood with M2 as North rejoined the group.

Brock watched as a flash of blue light lit up the compound. Team Two arrived, with an addition - A small Pikachu. PK looked hard at it and felt a twinge.

"What's he doing here?" he said aloud. Ash looked over at what had PK's attention.

"Who's that?" he asked.

PK swallowed hard. "My brother..."

"Elb Kinza... I believe everyone is here now," the President said. "You've got the floor."

Kinza stood up, getting off the oil drum he had been sitting on. "Ladies and gentlemen... and Pokémon... We are about to take a trip to the Stratus League... Our method of transit will be transmat... Stand up, hold tight, and please don't get sick! Stand by..."

"Now wait a minute..." Giovanni started to say, but a bright burst of light stopped him.

Everyone blinked. When they looked up from the flash, they were standing among a series of semi-futuristic buildings.

"Look at THAT!" Gary said, awestruck at what was to their left.

"Her name is Exeter," Kinza said at Gary's observation. "She will be departing before we continue with our reason for being here."

PK moved over to his brother. "Bucky, what are you doing here?"

The small Pikachu just looked at his brother and smiled.

"What do you mean you're their translator? You can't speak!"

Bucky shook his head.

"It doesn't matter?" PK said then thought about it. "Yea, I guess you're right about that." Ash and Misty joined him.

The small Pikachu smiled, raised his hand in a victory salute, and squeaked.

"So this is your brother Pikachu?" Misty asked reaching down to give the tiny electric mouse a scratch. He squeaked again.

"He doesn't say much, does he?" said Ash.

"I haven't heard him say a word since he joined us," Jazzy said.

PK glared at the young spirit. "That's because he's mute. Only I can hear him."

Jazzy nodded. "Makes sense... He's doing what's needed though... We've been able to talk with our Pokémon ever since he came along. What did you say his name was?"

"We've always called him Bucky..." PK said.

"Well, he's become the team's mascot, haven't you short stuff?" Jazzy said, picking up the small Pikachu and putting him on his shoulder. He squeaked and smiled and saluted again. PK just watched.

"I'm gonna have to talk to the boss about this one!" PK said to himself. The thought was drummed out of his head, as the ground started to shake around him. He floated off the surface and looked behind himself.

The underbelly engines of the starship were now glowing, as the ship lifted off and quickly gained altitude. She turned and headed up into the night sky over the Stratus. She shimmered, glowed then vanished as she entered the Trans-Dimensional Barrier Zone.

"Okay, now that Exeter has left, we can now proceed," Kinza said. "Mr. President..."

Brock stood in front of the groups. "People... the time has come. We are about to deploy you to where we expect the Black Lugian forces to come to next..."

"What!?" yelped Ash. "After the disaster we had a few days ago?"

"The scouting mission was a sign that Black Lugia is about to transfer levels again," Kinza said. "Exeter had reported that Level 6.0 Lugia has almost been found. As soon as that happens, Black Lugia will be on the move again."

Brock looked at Team One. Jesse, James, and Meowth snapped-to at the expression on his face. "We will place you on Level 5. Your mission is a simple one... Survive until Black Lugia arrives. It should be at its minimal energy level. Once it arrives, you must attack it before the Red Ghosts can transfer any energy to it."

"Whoa, whoa! How do you's know where da Black Boid is gonna show up?" Meowth interrupted. "You's could drop us anywhere on da planet, only ta have Lugia pop up somewhere else!"

"So far," Kinza reported, "the Black Lugia had appeared over the same spot in each dimensional level... we think there's a possible nexus point there it works with."

"Was that what we saw the other day?" Jazzy asked before Ash could. Ash looked back at the young spirit and nodded, impressed.

"Not really..." Kinza answered. "The scouting missions always happen within a 48 hour period prior to a full Lugian transfer, which is why we were flying overhead when you saw us, Ash. We were scanning for scouting zones. Even we can't predict exactly when the Lugian forces will start a transfer, be it a simple scouting group, or the entire enchilada."

"And you think we can defeat it?" Jesse said, a bit taken aback by President Brock's orders. "We've seen what it can do... its powers... we're just a pair of spirits..."

Sabrina stood before Jesse, a stern look on her face. "You two WILL have the power. You two HAVE the power..."

"Are you sure?" James said, a touch of nerves rumbling through his voice.

Sabrina smiled at her charges. "You've always had the power," she said. "One of the reasons why I have been teaching you, why I've been working with you, is because I also had to govern you."

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked her friend.

"Your combined energy levels, unchecked, could leave the planet's surface a burning ember," Sabrina explained, looking down. "Para-psychic energies, without proper control and balance, is a very dangerous energy to use. Rogue energy discharges could be disastrous."

"What about Team Two?" Myamoto asked.

That voice caught Jesse's attention.

"Since Level 5 has no sub-levels, we will station your team on Level 4.6. Group 3 and 4, made up of Stratus League volunteers, will be stationed on Levels 4.5 and 4.4"

Myamoto cocked her head slightly. "Why spread everyone on so many levels?"

"We - ah - can not guarantee which level Black Lugia will arrive on. It has followed expected parameters... to this point." Brock said. "We may work out of time and space here in the Stratus League, but time-lines jump and twist... It isn't an exact science... True, we know WHERE in a dimensional level Black Lugia will appear, but it has its choice of WHEN, since the para-psychic powers it uses can warp time as well. We figure it will be - err - frugal - with its energies during full transfers though, as it will take most of that stored energy to transfer its armies of ghosts, as well as itself. Major time shifting is an energy waste..."

Everyone looked at one another. Jesse noticed the person whose voice she had heard. She couldn't take her eyes off the Black Shirted Rocket. There was something about her.

"There is something I need to show you all..." the President said, then pulled a communications device from his pocket.

"This is the President... prepare for drop!"

"Engineering here... ready on your orders, sir... what time location?"

"Max us," he said to the com.

PK saw it out of the corner of his eye. Jesse was staring at Myamoto, a questioning look on her face. He moved to intercept her.

"Jesse, just wait here a moment!" he whispered into her ear. Sabrina saw PK with Jesse and came over.

"I know that voice..." Jesse whispered to PK, a bit miffed at the rodent for stopping her.

"Yes, you would... Jesse, I want you to wait and listen before going to meet her..." PK warned her.

Jesse's eye widened. "My mother!" she gasped.

"Mother? Where?" James said.

PK pinched his eye. "Yes and no... Stand ready, ma'am... this'll get weird... She's the first of her kind..."

Jesse's anger was beginning to grow. "Pikachu, please, I want to talk to her! What is the matter? First of her kind what?"

He sighed. "She's the first ever known spirit - - - of a clone..."

Jesse took two steps back.

Myamoto looked over at the slight commotion behind her, and saw Jesse for the first time.

"Grandmother!"

Jesse looked to her left. Myamoto looked to her right. Rose and her Level 14 Mew were standing beside her.

"My Mew?" M2 said, feeling the creature through the Doorknob's block, or possibly because this Mew was also wearing a Doorknob. "I thought I was the only survivor of Level 14."

"Actually M2, you were the second," Rose smiled at the Pokémon. "I sent this Mew back to get help when I was fighting Black Lugia."

Myamoto looked at the red haired, green eyed girl before her. "Grandmother? You called me your Grandmother?"

"Well, nearly..." she said scratching her head. "Only if you're from Level 6.4..."

"I'm not sure WHAT level I'm from!" Mya said, now totally confused.

"Level 1.2," PK said. "And this Jesse and James are from Level Prime."

"Hey! Don't forget Meowth!"

"How could we?" PK said, looking skyward for guidance.

"PEOPLE!!" Kinza yelled. "People, I'd suggest you'd wait until this is over with before starting this discussion... we're about to drop the League!"

"So, just what does that mean?" Ash asked.

Kinza cleared his throat. "The Stratus League exists within a dimensional paradox, out of normal time and space, but within its own zone of time and space. It's not exactly a dimension of its own, it's more sniped in-between dimensions - a pseudo-dimension. It is protected by the stasis field it generates, and masks it with a projection of the daytime and night time skies from the location the League was first constructed at... among the Pennsylvania Dutch lands east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. But, because of the type of paradox this pseudo-dimension is, the League exists within a time-line of around 50 years in either direction..."

"Direction?" Misty asked.

"Future, past..." Kinza said, pointing in each direction.

"Begin drop!" Brock said.

Kinza nodded. "What we are about to do is return the League to where it was originally built."

The sky shimmered. It then turned a gray-white, then red... that deadly red Ash, Misty, Teams One and Two had already seen.

An energy field could be seen around the complex. It would flare and flash as objects would strike it.

"This is Level Prime, at the maximum of our time reach. This is what the League's time-line takes us to without any intervention." Brock said sternly.

"But, if you're showing us the future," Giovanni said, "and this is the result, haven't you just shown us that it was a failure, all this posturing and preparation is all for nothing?"

"No," Brock said with conviction. "No, what we are seeing is a possibility, not a truth yet. You see, the Stratus League travels along a single time-line, unlike our friends with the starships. With our capabilities to witness both the past and short-term future within our time-line, it allows us the capability to adjust our futures for the betterment of Humans and Pokémon alike, which is what the Stratus League is all about.

"Some of these adjustments have all ready occurred... for example, Mr. Kinza and Rose once found the wreckage of the starship you saw leave here... this time-line has since been changed, and Exeter is no longer destroyed by Black Lugia as it lays waste to this planet."

"Now she's found to have been destroyed when she self-destructed stopping Black Lugia from escaping THIS level..." Kinza added. "Succeeded too..."

PK looked at Kinza, puzzled. "I thought they weren't supposed to interfere, just report history..." he whispered to the Tomassamassa.

Kinza gave PK a worried look. "After this dimensional level begins one of THEIR levels," he whispered back. "Remember, this might be Level Prime to you, but it's not to them..."

"Or you..." PK said.

Kinza sighed and looked at the red hurricane that was blasting against the shielding. "Nope. But our commitment stands. We know history... MANY of them... We will prevent this horror, one way or the other."

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	15. Overshoot

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Fifteen **

**Overshoot **

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
"Team Rocket - Terminal Solutions" by Steve Brunton,  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall  
and  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy_**

Forrestal sat over the moon of the dying planet. Level 6.4 wasn't where it had started, but it was where they first had found the Black Lugia.

She sat over the moon's magnetic field, purposefully hiding from her sister ship's scanners. Exeter was on duty, watching the demise of the planet, and recording the events.

Captain Strom stood on his bridge, surveying the actions of his crew below. A nervous rumbling was resounding within them. Perhaps to be expected, because of the unique make-up of his crew. Forrestal was a training ship - her crew made up of a special mix of both the best and the troubled of the cadets from the Academy - The idea, the best help the worst, and the worst keep the best from becoming show-offs. The results, a well rounded crew.

Strom had this current crew for some time now, and they were good, well trained, and would follow his orders implicitly. And his current orders would be the ultimate to follow.

"T-Minus-24 hours, 45 minutes, mark," the ship's computer S.A.M. announced. Strom's second in command, Mr. Button looked up at him. The Captain nodded. Button sighed.

"Bridge to crew," the second announced over the intercraft. "Lifeboat procedures are in order. All non-essential personnel will prepare to depart the ship. Engineering, start secondary power center detachment. Begin transfer of anti-matter from mains to secondary center. Arm all explosive bolts. T-Minus-24 hours, 10 minutes until bomb-run."

Strom closed his eyes.

"Incoming message from the Stratus League," the com officer reported. "Time distortion prevents return communications by normal means."

Strom looked down on the Lieutenant. "Let's have it."

"From President Brock Takeshi, the Stratus League... Understand your commitment... understand your orders dealing with temporal interference by your ships, and that the destruction of Exeter to prevent the Lugian forces from escaping our dimensional levels and entering yours was taken without your consent... please reconsider your current orders... we are about to deploy our forces to their assigned levels. If successful, we expect Exeter to be landing here at 0 - 800 hours."

Strom sighed. "Ready a temporal probe to the Stratus. Send them this message...

"We launch in 24 hours. It is against our orders, but I'll be damned if I'll let an order prevents me from saving lives. We chose level 6.4 as our target, since this is where we found Black Lugia first, and we dare not head further back, least we damage the time-stream further. We take our action as a united crew, determined to save lives of both the remaining dimensional levels, but also of our fellow crew-mates aboard Exeter. God willing, she will be able to recover the bulk of our crew-members in the Lifeboats, if they survive the explosion. We give you our last 24 hours to obtain your victory over the Lugian forces. If not... we have a traditional way to express this, time honored, and tried. - We were damned, but we gave them hell... Never forget the name - FORRESTAL. Signed, Captain Roy Strom, Commander, United Nations Starship Forrestal, F2-662."

Brock sat at his desk looking at the PADD-readout, PK beside him following along. He put it down and sat back in chair. He looked over at the President's Staff with the halo flame. The flame flickered.

"They say that when the flame on that staff flickers like that, things are happening." he said, putting his hand to his forehead.

"We must prevent this!" PK said, reading the pad again. "Roy can be so headstrong at times!"

"I'd say 'look who's talking', but I know better."

PK gave the President a glaring look. "It's still our war, not his. Not yet anyway."

"But, if we let them go ahead with what they're willing to do..."

"IT'S OUR WAR, NOT HIS," PK repeated himself. Brock put his hands up acquiescing.  
PK lifted off the desk. "I'm heading for Level 5... Hopefully, we'll have good news to report when I get back."

"Keep safe, PK," Brock said.

The Pikachu nodded then vanished in a flash of kinetic energy. Brock watched the flame flicker on the staff.

Earlier, as the Stratus League returned to its dimensional limbo, Brock had divvied out the orders for the defenders. Team One, consisting of Spirits Jesse and James, Meowth, Sabrina and PK, were to go to Level 5's arrival point. Team Two, with spirits MyamotoTwo, Jazzy, Arcanine and Bucky, and their trainer were to back-up Team One on Level 4.6, the next level above them. Two teams of volunteers from the Stratus League were to be further back-ups on Levels 4.5 and .4, all on stand-by to assist each other.

Brock's orders to the two remaining teams, Ash's Trainer/Gym Leaders gang, and the Team Rocket sponsored Golden R, were to protect Level Prime. Ash's team was also given the task of finding that level's Lugia. And keep it within the 24 hour period. Sheesh!

"Dive in here, Charizard!"

"Grunt!" he said, as he followed Ash's orders. It had been years since he and his master had been to Ashia Island. The last time was a bit busy. This time was bound to be worse.  
Below, three men were waiving to the pair as they descended. A forth person with them was familiar to Ash, though, like himself, a bit more grown up than last he had seen her.  
Melody watched as Charizard beat his wing hard to cushion the landing. The pounding of his wings blew up a gust of sand from the beach he was landing on. She and the rest covered their faces to stop the stinging.

"Great job, Charizard! Take a rest... do you want to do it in your PokéBall, or out here?" Ash asked his dragon. Charizard shook his head, and pointed to the ground. Ash patted him on the thigh, and went over to the group before him. Charizard laid down in the sand and sunbathed.

"What's our situation?" Ash asked the group.

"Not good," Tracey said. "We haven't been able to find ANY of the Legendary Birds on ANY of their islands.

"This is not a good sign..." Samurai said, his face partly obscured by his helmet. "From the look of it, when I checked the lair of the Moltres on Fire Island, it looked as if it had not been used in some time."

"Same for Articuni Isle," added Richie. "I found the temple vacant... no signs of the Articuno."

Ash pondered the information. "How about the power orbs? Did any of you see them?"

The three men looked at one another, then turned back to look at Melody.

"I gave them permission to seek the birds, but they were not allowed to touch the orbs..." she said. "I still don't quite understand why you wish to disturb our God-Birds, Ash Ketchum. I do hope you have a good reason."

At that moment, a song that had played on the radio in his car was running through his mind.

"It's the end of the world as we know it...

...And I feel fine..."

Ash took Melody aside and started to explain just what they were facing.

-----------------------------

It was dark in the bottom of Lavender Tower. M2 sat staring across the room. He had not moved in some time, he just stared. Across from him was the sleeping form of his Mew, curled up in the lap of Rose, who was also sleeping, stretched out on an old sofa.

MewTwo entered the tower. Something drew him in - a feeling that had touched him the moment M2 had seen his Mew.

M2 glanced over at his fellow Pokémon, gave a slight nod then resumed his stare.

"Is something bothering you, my brother?" MewTwo transmitted.

M2 sighed and closed his eyes, a tear trickling down his cheek. MewTwo stop and watched. He hadn't expected this.

"Why?" was all M2 transmitted back at first, the first time MewTwo had felt a message from him rather than hear it verbally. "Why did she do it?"

MewTwo cocked his head. "Do? Who did what?"

"All those lives... all those souls... gone..." was M2's answer, now fully weeping. "How can something so innocent cause such harm to the continuum?"

MewTwo stood back, and looked over at the sleeping forms across from them. "I sense you've had a revelation, my brother..."

M2 nodded through his tears. "When I first saw my Mew... it was like a flood gate was opened... her mind flowed into my mind... there was no stopping the onslaught at first... possibly because of this..." M2 tapped his doorknob, still dangling from his neck. "It gave me insight into the events that started this... Why? Why? Why? Why..." M2 put his head into his paws and sobbed.

This was starting to trouble MewTwo. He moved closer to his fellow MewTwo, but then stopped when he felt another enter the room. He turned and saw his Mew.

"I felt a disturbance," she transmitted then saw the sobbing form of M2 in the chair. He looked up at her, and their eyes locked.

"No..." she said. "No, please, don't go there..."

MewTwo looked back at his Mew and saw the stare. He looked back at M2, and saw the same stare.

"It's happening again..." M2 said. "I... will... not... harm... you... uhhh!"

"Stop, please stop!" Mew pleaded. "AHH!!"

MewTwo could not stand to hear a psychic scream like that. He reached over to jar M2's stare loose. He touched him on the shoulder. Instantly, a burst of energy shot both MewTwos across the room from each other. M2 landed on the staircase. MewTwo slammed into wall across from there. All went black.

-----------------------------

A psychic wave caught Sabrina by surprise. She was with Team One awaiting Black Lugia's arrival on Level 5. It hadn't come from that level, but it had been strong enough to get her attention.

"Lavender Base to Team One!" suddenly came blaring over a com unit. Trans-dimensional transmitters had been given out to all the groups. Theirs was being 'manned' by Meowth.

"Da cat's Meowth here!" he gleefully remarked. "What's yer order?"

"Meowth? Where's Aunt Sabrina?" Rose yelped over the com unit.

"I'm here Rose... What's the problem?"

"Aunt Rose! We need you here at the tower right away! Maybe even PK!"

PK floated over to the com unit. "What happened Rose? We felt a psychic wave here a moment ago..."

Sabrina looked at PK. If HE had felt the wave as well, it must have been an enormous jolt, wherever it originated from.

"I'm not sure... I was asleep with my Mew, there was an explosion, and I found MewTwo and M2 in heaps across from one another, and this level's Mew whimpering in the corner! Aunt Sabrina, I think one of the MewTwo's might be DEAD!"

PK and Sabrina looked at one another. "That's not good news," PK said. "We both can't go... one of us has to stay here just in case..."

"You're needed here..." she said.

He nodded. "Be quick... good luck..."

She stood up, knitted her brow, and was off back to base.

-----------------------------

Ayako knocked on the door to Tech Lab 1.

North looked up from his work and smiled. "Ah, our finest! Come on in Ayako, Fuego..."

Fuego trotted in then stopped, looking up at a refrigerator to one side of the lab. Looking down from the refrigerator was a Persian. At first, it was a small staring war, but then the Persian blinked, rolled over onto its back and dozed off. Fuego shook his head and followed Ayako.

"You asked me here, Professor?" Ayako said, looking at the object in front of him. It was a familiar object, used by trainers everywhere. It was just the size of it...

"Is that a technical machine?" she asked looking at the large box like device.

North nodded, picking up the unit. That was when Ayako saw the normal sized unit behind it.

"Two?"

North spun the cube around in his hand. "This could be the breakthrough of the Pokémon world," he said, cracking the unit apart at its mid-point. A fine energy field buzzed between the two halves, a light shade of blue. He closed it up again.

"But technical machines have been around for years," Ayako said. "What's so special about this one?"

"Notice its size?" North said, again holding it up for her to see.

"It's big... I agree..."

"That's not for Pokémon, is it?" Fuego asked.

"Fuego, I'm sure he didn't understand..." Ayako started to say.

"No it isn't," North said.

Ayako looked at her leader. "You understood him?"

North smiled. "Who do you think recommended that you two should be brought together in the first place? I've worked with the Stratus League for almost twenty years now... I've been able to scan almost all of Team Rocket's history, including yours and Fuego's... When you volunteered for the Cryogenics Project, I made sure your unit in the system continued to function..."

"What about the other two cryo-pods?"

"Four actually... we tried to save the others as well, but we found that the time distortion prevented a clear focus of our assisting energy fields... Power outages is what did in the others... But we felt that your special powers were also a help..."

"Special Powers?" Ayako questioned. North seemed to know more about them than she did!

North nodded again. "Remember when the energy beam the Moon Stone fired hit you?"

"How could I forget?" Fuego said.

"Not you... Ayako..."

Ayako rubbed her forehead. "Barely..." she said, thinking hard back to that day, which to her, wasn't all that long ago.

"The energy discharge affected you as well," North said, twirling the cube again. "That is one of the reasons why you can understand Fuego there."

"Why can YOU understand me then?" Fuego asked with a smirk.

North grinned. "I was there as well... I was in the tunnel below Ayako when the beam struck. Blew me clear back into an Onix nest! 'Good thing it got spooked by the blast... Isn't that right Ziggy?"

"Yea... right!" the Persian said, as it rolled over again and continued its snooze.

North shook his head. "Some cat..." he mumbled with a laugh.

"Isn't that Giovanni's Persian?" Ayako asked, having finally noticing the feline on top of the refrigerator. "Isn't it dangerous having him here? How is security here?"

"What's our security like here, Ziggy?" North asked the prone cat.

"Max, a-okay..." it purred, rolling on it's back again.

"The secret cameras that Gio put in here were replaced before he activated them by my auto security system... what he sees and records is a computer generated image. So I have no problem showing you this..." he held up the cube again. "He's the last one I'd want to know about this beastie!"

"What is it?" Ayako asked, examining the blue over silver gray box. "You said it wasn't for Pokémon..."

North palmed the cube. "This is the first ever technical machine... FOR the TRAINER, not the Pokémon!"

"What?" Ayako said, standing back from the box in North's hand.

"Finally!" Fuego chimed in with a snicker. "We Pokémon get REVENGE!" he kidded her.

"That's not funny Fuego..." she said, concern running through her voice.

North picked up the smaller technical machine. "This one's yours!" he said to the Flareon.

"Aw, nuts!" he responded.

Ayako moved closer again. She had known North only as long as she and Fuego had been out of the cryo pod. But he seemed to be the most knowledgeable, had shown concern for her well being, and most of all, kept Giovanni from creeping her out totally. Plus, he was her boss in the Golden R. Why he kept the position of Second in Command for her until she came out of deep freeze was still a mystery to her.

"So, what does it give me?" she asked.

North looked at her and smiled. She was being true to her Golden R background. "Do the dangerous and rule the day!" was the Golden R's motto. He handed her the device.

"It is a modified version of Mimic. I call it 'Shared Powers'."

She felt the cube through her gloved hand. It was heavy, and it buzzed like it was alive.

"Shared Powers?" she asked.

North nodded. "You would get many - not all - of Fuego's powers in a mimic move... that way, you wouldn't be drawing on his powers - rather, you'd be mimicking them. You wouldn't get Fire Wings, but a few other moves become yours, and some of them can be modified by your own control. But they can only be activated when HE activates his own powers. So if HE doesn't IGNITE, don't expect to do so as well..."

Ayako looked at North. "Ignite? I could do Ignite?"

"Want to give it a try?" North asked her. She examined the cube closely. She nodded yes.

North took the cube from her and stood up. He cracked the unit open, the energy field crackling and sparking. He pressed a "Hold" button on each half. The field dropped for a moment, as he placed the two halves beside her temples.

"You may feel a slight jolt... Stand by... one... two... three!"

He released the "Hold" buttons, and the field returned. Ayako felt a wave of information and data flow into her mind. It tingled, but didn't hurt much. When a beep came from the box halves, North pressed the "Hold" buttons again, and closed the cube up.

"Ayako? Are you all right?" Fuego asked, watching his mistress waiver slightly, as she held onto the edge of North's workbench and held her head.

"I think so..." she said. But she then found herself being sat down on a chair by North, who handed her a pair of tablets and a glass of water. "What's this?" she asked, squinting slightly from the aftershock she was now having.

"Ibuprofen," North said.

"How'd you know what she would be going through?" Fuego asked concern for Ayako's condition.

"Hey, I was the guinea pig for the energy field in that thing... I downloaded a copy of Team Rocket's membership's birthdays... Happy birthday by the way..."

"It's not mine..." Ayako said as she swallowed the pills.

"Not yours... Fuego's! Speakin' of which... here's YOUR gift, kiddo!" North said, picking up the smaller cube.

Fuego looked a bit worried at the device. "I've never had one of those used on me before..." he said.

"Don't worry... It will be over with quickly. She needs you to cooperate."

Ayako nodded to her Pokémon. He swallowed and looked at the device North had. It was split apart, "Hold" buttons activated.

"Okay, but promise me you'll bite him if he hurts me!" he said.

"I will," she said, laughing slightly.

North shook his head with a smile, and administered the technical machine to Fuego. He closed his eyes and let the information flow into his soul.

Fuego looked cross-eyed for a moment afterward, and the world looked a bit askew to him. He didn't attempt to walk, fearing looking foolish. He just sat down and let the feeling pass.

North tapped a key on a console nearby. Across the room, a bulkhead clicked and began to swing open. North took Ayako's hand.

"Come on... let's see what you can do!" he said, giving her a wink.

She got up, and followed North. Fuego attempted to, but stumbled slightly to one side... 'hope no one saw that! He got his legs back under him then strode on.

Was that cat snickering?

They walked past what turned out to be a massive 30 inch steel door into a huge open area. Stairs lead downwards making for a cavernous space, which became visible as North switched on the overhead lighting. The room, the size of a football field at least, was empty, save a pile over in one corner of what looked like junk.

"What is this place?" Ayako gawked.

"Testing center," North said, opening a secured console and keying some switches. The steel door closed behind them, sealing them in. "I'd like you two to go into the center of the floor down there. We'll try this out."

Ayako and Fuego looked at each other and headed down the stairs. While descending down, they could hear North talking to a computer.

"Computer, start recording..."

"Affirmative... Tape code 174-AF-10897... Recording started..."

"Send copies to Stratus 1-1A, GR-1 and Observers 1A - secured..."

"Affirmative... Copies encoding 174-AF-10897... SL 1-1A - GR-1 – Observers 1A - Secured and encrypted..."

"Arm explosive bolts on roof doors..."

"Armed..."

"Raise escape towers 1 through 4 and arm jato bottles..."

"Escape Towers 1, 2, 3 and 4 now up. Jatos Rockets 1, 2, 3 and 4 armed..."

"Set fire retardant systems to maximum pressure... targeting subjects on main floor, fire only on my command..."

"Emergency Fire procedures 1-A on your command... Halon and foam systems charged..."

"Set emergency transmat on subjects on main floor... standard procedures... on my command..."

"Transmat systems activated... targeting locked - two targets... Standard procedure... Code 1 - standard evacuation to outside building to safe zone... Code 2 - Transmat to infirmary... Code 3 - Transmat to secured holding center... Code 4 - Transmat to vector 4275 by 6... Ocean... Code 5 - Transmat to Vector 10000 by 10000... Outer Space... On your command..."

Ayako and Fuego stood in the center of the room looking up at the console station above them. "Are you quite done?" she asked as North peeked over the unit in front of himself. A large monitor down on her level came to life, with North's image on it.

"Hey, unlike those scientists who created MewTwo, I follow the books on my safety procedures... Don't worry... I've only used Code 5 once... I didn't want to strip half the planet's atmosphere away..."

Ayako looked at her Pokémon, and he at her. Both sighed.

"I didn't know it was your birthday," she said nonchalantly.

"Neither did I," Fuego said. "I sure hope he's right..."

They looked at the monitor and saw North fiddling with some switches on the console. "Ready when you are," he finally said. "First, bring Fuego's powers up then try the new command..."

Ayako nodded then looked at Fuego again. She smiled, realizing she hadn't seen him use his full powers very often before. She had 'volunteered' for the cryo project only a week or so after they had met. This would be her first actual time to ask her Pokémon to obtain full power. She closed her eyes, and said the words she knew would do the trick.

"Fuego, IGNITE!"

Fuego jumped back at the command. He stood with all paws spread apart, a calm quiet look on his face, eyes closed. An aura of heat and energy began to surround him then enter him. Streaks of light started to be consumed by his body, and he began to glow with a hot burning yellow and red haze. He opened his eyes, and flames could be seen in them. Then he erupted. He became a walking ball of fire and heat! The ground below him started to turn a cherry red!

Ayako stood watching her Pokémon perform. It was beautiful to her. A wave of pride swept through her as Fuego cocked his head to her and nodded.

"Ready... stage 2..." North said over the PA system.

Ayako closed her eyes again. "Fuego... I love you..." she said.

The Pokémon knew that this was going to be the most dangerous part of the experiment. "I love you too, Ayako... Let's do it..." he said, his voice now with a crackling sound of fire running through it.

"SH - SHARED POWERS!" she ordered.

-----------------------------

Melody held her mouth with her hand. A clone of Lugia? Evil and menacing, coming to destroy the world?

"It's true Melody... We've seen the results already," Ash said.

"I believe you, Ash... What you've described... is written..." she said, taking her hand from her mouth and looking down at the ground.

"What?" Ash asked. "What do you mean?"

Melody pointed over to the Prophecy Stone that had told them about the Legendary Birds and Lugia all those years ago. "When I gave you the translation of the tablet, I gave you only a general translation..."

They walked over to the stone, and she pointed to a spot on it. "Here is where I said that if you were to capture a God of Thunder, a God of Fire and a God of Ice, you would evoke the wrath of the Marine God who would destroy the Earth... The actual translation is 'and the Marine God, black, with eyes of rouge fire, and ridden by the Red Death, shall ascend and destroy the world and its heaven..." She looked back at the men behind her. "We... I had always thought this was just an error by my ancestors, as the Lugia we saw certainly wasn't like this one..."

"That's what we get for having the condensed version," Tracey remarked.

Ash stared at the tablet. He remembered the library with Misty and the old PokéDexes. "It says 'And when Lugia returns, it will lay the world asunder with a torrent of spirits and vapors,'" she had read to him.

"Melody, can you call the birds here with your music?" Ash asked his host. "We must hurry, or another level will be destroyed."

She smiled and gave Ash a kiss on the cheek. "Anything for the savior of my people," she said, walking over to the altar.

"Good thing Misty isn't here for that one, Ash..." Richie said, noticing the red look on his friend's face.

Melody picked up the flute that sat suspended over the altar. She began to play the music of the Festival of the Gods. The Stone Henge-like temple throbbed for a moment as an orb rose from the central platform the Prophecy Stone sat on.

"That's new," Ash said, looking at the glowing orb centered between the empty mounts for the three Legendary Bird Orbs he had gathered all those years before.

Melody stopped for a moment and moved towards the platform. "It was installed when we repaired the damage from the last time the birds were brought together... This orb was given to us by some stranger... he told us that if we ever needed to call the birds together again, that this orb would send a message to the other orbs and call them for us."

Samurai wasn't pleased to hear this. "Then why send us to the islands to look for bird that you could have called here with THAT!?"

Melody bowed slightly to the warrior trainer. "I did not know of your true purpose, Samurai... And I needed to know if your heart was true, and you would follow my rule about not disturbing the orbs... you have shown honor."

"I am an honorable warrior! I do not steal or break rules for my benefit!" he grumbled.

"She meant well," Ash said to his friend. "About this stranger..."

Melody shook her head. "We never saw what he looked like... he wore a hood and cape, and when he left, he turned into a bird..."

"A bird?" Ash said. "Sounds like Pikachu's description of Captain Strom..."

"Captain Strom?" Melody asked.

"A friend..." Ash answered.

Melody cocked her head. "I'm not sure if I understand... we do know this person was old by the look of his hands, which is all we could see of the person in the cloak."

Ash looked at Melody. "Old? That's odd... Captain Strom isn't old... At least not by the way Jesse gushed about him." He returned his gaze to the orb. "Have you tried this thing before?"

Melody shook her head. "We have not."

"Do you trust it?" Richie asked.

"I felt no malice from the stranger," Melody said, raising the flute up to her mouth and beginning the song once again.

The orb started to glow. The three positions for the remaining orbs started to light up as well. With a flash, the 3 smaller orbs appeared surrounding the central orb.

As she played, the upright stones of the shrine began their own light show. They intoned a note each as the music played, soon becoming a humming vibrating sound.

A shadow passed overhead. Then another. Then a third.

Three of the standing stones rose higher than the rest, and the three Legendary Birds landed on them.

"Greetings humans," reverberated throughout the shrine. "We meet again, Mr. Ketchum."

Ash looked around at the birds before him. The voice seemed to be coming from the center orb, but it was Moltres that nodded to him.

"Hello... we need your help..." Ash started.

"We have been informed..." the voice said. "An evil is coming. We are needed to possibly stop it."

"We need Lugia!" Ash yelled.

"I am here..." was heard. Ash and the rest turned. They saw Charizard running up from the beach towards them, trying to avoid a large wave of water that had just burst from the ocean. Behind him was the white-gray form that Ash had seen before. HIS Lugia.

"Legendary Birds of Fire, Lightning and Ice... a day of reckoning is fast coming upon us," the large Water God said as it hovered over the gathered below. "We must gather our strengths and powers to assist these humans in the defense of our home. Are we together?"

The birds howled and yelled. "We are!" was the response from the orbs.

Lugia landed beside Ash and looked down on him. "I have been given a premonition from somewhere... I am not sure what to make of it, my friend..."

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"I see another... Lugia... But not me..."

"Black Lugia?"

"No... another... Black Lugia is relatively easy to see, the evil it produces is quite traceable... No, this one is... pink..."

"A pink Lugia?" Ash questioned. Then it hit him... "Rose had once said that the Lugia of Level 6.4 was GREEN! That must be another level's Lugia!"

"Be that as it may," Lugia said, "it said that there was about to be a disaster... a tragic mistake..."

Ash stared at his friend for a moment. What could be happening that was a mistake?  
THE TEAMS!

"Melody! Is there a communications station on this island?" he suddenly yelped.

She shook her head. "Communications are down to the mainland... something about the mainland transmitters being down."

Ash pulled a com unit that Kinza had given him. He keyed a button, but got nothing but static. He walked aside, trying to get the device to work.

Samurai and Richie looked at the huge birds in awe. "Now I wished I had gone with Ketchum when he left for his journeys!" Samurai said.

Richie nodded. "Yea... did this sort of thing happen often Tracey?"

Tracey, who had been through this sort of thing with Ash before nodded in agreement. "Ash always seemed to attract this sort of... adventure..."

"Zowie!" Richie said.

Ash continued to adjust the com unit.

" -nt Rose! We ne - - - here - - tower right aw - - - May - - even PK!" popped over the unit. It was clearly Rose's voice, but the contact was terrible.

"What hap - - - - Ro - - felt - - psychic wave - wave - wave - wave - - - moment ag - - -"

"I'm n - - - sure... I - - - sleep with - - - - -KIZZZZsphffffPIFTHZZZZ! - - - - - explosion, - - - MewTwo - - - M2 - - heaps across from one ano - - - - KIZZZZZZZPIPIPIPIPIPZOOOOOO - - - - - - in the corner! Aunt Sab - - - - might be DEAD!"

"Rose! ROSE! KETCHUM TO TOWER BASE! KETCHUM TO TOWER BASE! COME IN!"

Now, all he got was static.

"We've got get back there!" he said, returning to the group. "Richie, what is the condition of Zippo?"

"He became a Charizard last year," he said, a slight smile on his face. "He's a bit tired... he was in a battle only a day or two ago."

"Do you have any other fire or psychic Pokémon?"

"I now have Canis... He's my Arcanine..."

Ash smiled. "Great! Samurai, last I had heard, you picked up a Fearrow..."

"I have three Fearrow now!" he grinned, pounding his chest plate. "All with advanced Mirror Wave!"

"Tracey?" Ash asked, looking over at his old traveling companion.

"Venomoth's got a psychic beam... And I have a new Charmander..."

Ash nodded. "Gentlemen, I will need you three to guard this temple. If Red Ghosts start to attack it, it must be defended. Right?"

"RIGHT!" the threesome said, snapping to attention.

"Melody, be ready to recall the birds... If you feel they are in need of retrieval, do not hesitate to call them back. I think that may have been one of the problems with the birds on the other levels... no recall..."

She looked up at the three Gods above her. "As long as they agree to this..." she said.

"Of course, my dear," a voice came from the orbs. "You will be able to feel our situations. We will trust your judgment if it comes to that."

Lugia lowered his back. "I would be honored if you ride me back," he said to Ash. "No offense to your Charizard, but I would be able to get there much quicker..."

Charizard grunted, and awaited the inevitable.

"Charizard, return!" Ash said, retrieving his dragon to its PokéBall. He then climbed onto Lugia's back, as he had done before.

"UH! You've grown!" Lugia said. "Hang on tight! Legendary Birds - TO THE AIR!"

The flock of God-Birds left the island, leaving behind the three men, the temple keeper, and a gathering of locals that had been watching all this transpire before them.

-----------------------------

M2 looked up at the blur that was looking down at him. He blinked, and the image cleared. Sabrina was putting something around his neck.

"What... what happened? Ow... my shoulder..."

"Consider yourself lucky... we thought you were dead..." she said, unfastening the doorknob... the smoldering remains of his doorknob!

"Uhhh... that looks toasted... Did... did MewTwo touch me?"

"It looks like it. He's just coming to as well... his right paw looks burnt."

"MEW! Where is his Mew?"

Sabrina looked over in the corner. Professor Oak was examining the pinkish cat creature, which had grabbed his lab jacket and curled up into a ball. It was shivering.

"What happened?" Sabrina asked him.

"I'm sorry..." M2 said, closing his eyes. "Psychic lock... I had such a lock, without these results when I first saw MY Mew... We exchanged minds..."

"Exchanged minds? You gave her your memories?"

"Not by choice. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I was upset by some of the information I received from my Mew... When she came into the room... We locked eyes... I - I couldn't stop it... Oh, it must have been terrible..."

Sabrina looked over at the hole in the wall. MewTwo was now standing, if a bit shakily. She reached over and locked the new doorknob in place around M2's neck, and turned it up to full power. When she looked up again, MewTwo was beside her.

"Are you all right, my brother?" he asked verbally.

M2 nodded. "Attend to your Mew, MewTwo... she needs your help," he said, getting up from the floor. "I am truly sorry..."

MewTwo cocked his head... "Accidents will... happen." He turned towards Oak and his Mew.

M2 watched his duplicate soothe his Mew then looked at Sabrina. "Shouldn't you be on Level 5?"

"This took precedence," she said, passing her hand over the wound on M2's shoulder. The burn marks faded.

"I suggest you get back then, as I am now better... thank you..."

"M2, what caused all this? You still haven't..."

M2 put a paw up. "Please... let us just say that it's a matter for the Mews, my brother and myself. As MewTwo said... Accidents will happen."

Sabrina stood up, looking down on the Pokémon clone, and sighed. She nodded then vanished in a kinetic burst. MewTwo looked back at M2 and nodded an agreement with his decision.

M2 looked over at his Mew, which was hugging Rose. It laid its head onto Rose's shoulder and whimpered slightly. M2 dropped his head.

-----------------------------

She felt the tingling start at her toes. Then it ran up her legs, into her torso, down her arms, and down to the tips of her long hair.

Fuego, within his own field of fire, watched his mistress burst into a pyrotechnic rage. She glowed red, and her face took on the shape of a bonfire. Her once large rounded eyes were now much like his, slightly oval, turned on angles and WHITE HOT!

"Ayako... Ayako, are you still with us?" North said over the intercom.

She looked up at the com station. She smiled. "Still with you," was heard, but modulated within the flames. "This feels wonderful!"

"Gets the kinks out, does it?" North said. "Let's see if we can try some of your powers... Try a fire rage at the north wall..."

"Fire suppressers targeting - North Wall," the computer chirped.

Ayako looked to her one side and saw the letter 'N' on a wall.

"Okay Fuego... Double team! FIRE RAGE!"

Fuego opened his mouth and spurt his blast. Ayako simply fired hers off her entire body. The combined wall of flame struck the facing wall with much heat and a convulsive blow that it was felt throughout the complex. Streams of water quickly cooled down the ablative plates.

"Ceramic tiles 47-428, 47-429, 48-427, 48-428, 87-1000 and 90-200 have melted," the computer reported.

"Hot stuff!" North said with a whistle. "Replace them..."

The six panels dematerialized as the transmats repaired the wall.

"ALERT! ALERT!" the computer then started to yelp. "SYSTEMS BREECH! SYSTEMS BREECH! RED HAUNTERS WITHIN THE COMPLEX!"

North scrambled across the control panel. "Where? WHERE!?"

"Location - North wall, sections 47-427, 48-428, 87-1000!" the computer barked.

North looked over the edge of the station at the holes in the ceramic wall. Sure enough, three Red Haunters were now entering the room.

"Ayako! Fuego! LIVE FIRE!" he yelled. "Computer! Quickly replace those tiles!"  
Ayako and Fuego saw the ghosts.

"That one's yours - this one's mine!" Ayako said.

"We'll divvy up the last one!" Fuego said, leaping at the nearest Haunter.

"LIFTING FIRE!" Ayako said. A ring of flame encircled her waist. A quick leap and she was airborne, much to North's surprise!

Fuego began a quick attack, which grew into a flaming comet. He ran at his Haunter, the heat of his approach vaporizing the ghost as he passed through it!

Ayako began a spin move that the Haunter she was attacking failed to avoid. She turned to look for the third Haunter. Fuego was looking as well, but saw nothing but the ceramic plates being replaced on the north wall.

"North!?" Ayako yelled. "Robert?"

"Get this thing OFF OF ME!" he yelled. Ayako and Fuego could see North up above, swatting the last Red Haunter with a ceramic plate, and seemingly really hitting it!

"I've got it," Ayako told her Pokémon, leaving rings of flame behind her, as she rose to the com deck's level.

"Excuse me," she told the Haunter. "Are you trying to get on my bad side?"

She vaporized it with a small fiery orb she created in the palm of her hand.

North looked around the ceramic sheet he was whopping the Haunter with. "Well, you're just a fiery bundle of surprises, aren't you?" he said.

"All because of you," she said, blowing him a fiery kiss. He let it strike the ceramic.  
Fuego huffed, and returned to normal form.

So did Ayako... 30 feet off the floor! "WHAT!?" she yelled.

"AYAKO!" Fuego yelled!

North tossed the ceramic sheet aside and leaped over the railing for her, catching her by the upper arms. The sheet shattered across the floor below.

"It's a good thing you're a light person, Ayako!" North grunted, as he hauled her back over the railing. Fuego scampered up the stairs as fast as his little feet would take him. He found North and Ayako on the deck. "Boy, you're hot too!" North was saying, breathing hard at the exertion he just did. He leaned back against the edge railing and closed his eyes in pain. Ayako managed to get sat upright next to him and did the same.

"What happened?" Fuego asked.

"You happened!" North said, having a hard time raising is arm to point at the Flareon. "You powered down!"

"So?" he said... then it struck him. "Oh... we're linked , aren't we?"

Ayako glared at him. If he could have, he would have grinned a sheepish grin.

"So," she said nearly out of breath, "when he powers down, I power down..."

"He's your root... he doesn't power your energy, just activates it, and regulates it... You shouldn't be able to do anything he can't..."

"You mean the flying was a no no?"

"No, he can do Lifting Fire... he just doesn't do it the way YOU did it! No, I mean you can't do, say, Thermal Nuclear Devastation because HE can't do Thermal Nuclear Devastation!"

"At least I haven't TRIED that one yet!" he said with a wry little smile. Ayako continued to glare at him.

"I swear, I'm going to make the cutest little purse out of you one day!" she said, pointing a waving finger at her Pokémon.

"Computer... external scans... are there any more of those Red Haunters about?" North asked his console while still seated.

"Not within scanner range..." the computer replied.

"Good... whoosh... They were probably leftovers from the other day..." he said, adjusting his position so it wasn't as painful. "Interesting that they couldn't penetrate ceramic..."

She nodded in agreement, then reached over and gave North a peck on his cheek. "Thank you."

"Enlightened self interest, ma'am... we've got to get some more of those to the other members of the Golden R."

-----------------------------

Sabrina arrived at the Team One base to find Meowth attempting to get the com unit working.

"Dis is Team One base... come in Team Two! Come IN!" he was shouting.

"What's wrong now?" Sabrina asked.

PK looked at her, a grave look on his face. "I think we were by-passed..."

"What?" she said, a blank look on her face.

"Aw, fer cryin' out loud! I'm tryin da Stratus League!" Meowth spat at the com unit, switching channels.

"Stratus League here..." the box squawked back. PK picked up the mic.

"League Central... Exeter Data scans, quickly!" he barked.

Sabrina looked at PK confused. "What?"

PK's look gave away the dread he was feeling. "I think we just may have made a grievous error..."

"Data Processing Center..." the com chirped.

"DPC, this is PK... I need this quickly... Exeter Data Scans of Level 5... I need to know... if there is a Lugia on this level!"

Sabrina's eyes grew wide... She had not thought of that.

"That's a negative, Mr. Ketchum... No signs that there ever was a Lugia ever on that level..."

PK tossed the mic to the table and gave Sabrina a look of absolute dejection. "That should have been one of the FIRST things checked..." he said. "That's one of the reasons why YOU have so much psychic power... What did Kinza tell me it was called? Unimonic! You don't appear on any other level! Rule 1 of temporal dimensional fractural equations... the fewer times a subject or body is copied between dimensions, the more power the remaining subjects or bodies will have. A unimonic life form only appears in one universe!"

Jesse looked at PK confused. "But Lugia has copies of itself on almost every level!"

"Those Legendary Bird critters are different... they have rules of their own that I'm not allowed to divulge... And we can't count Black Lugia in with them, as it's really its own beast... It has no other Black Lugias in other dimensions... But it's principal target is the Lugia of the level it is attacking – therefore we can assume that it is attempting to MAKE itself unimonic!"

"It certainly seems to be getting stronger every time it finishes off one of its fellow Lugias," James added. "Perhaps you're right!"

"Hey, I tink I got dem back!" Meowth said, adjusting the controls.

"...ghosts... dimensional portal... attacking... help!" it yelped then died again.

PK threw a switch on the unit that engaged all channels. "Team One to all levels! Team One to all levels! We have an overshoot! Repeat, we have an overshoot!" He tossed the mic to Meowth and looked at his crew.

"We still have a chance folks! They may have by-passed us, but they haven't powered Black Lugia yet either."

"That's right!" Sabrina said. "We go in full power, powers flying, right!?"

"Right!" they all chanted.

"Black Lugia doesn't know what it's in for!" James said.

Jesse smiled, and gave her husband a look he hadn't seen since they were Rockets.

"Humm... Prepare for Trouble?" she said with a devilish smile.

"Make that double!" he grinned back.

"To PROTECT the WORLDS from Devastation..." came from PK!

"To unite our Teams within our nation!" Sabrina modified.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" Jessie added.

"Have you ever considered changing that line?" PK asked the wedded pair.

"To extend our reach to the stars above - or at least the next Dimensional level!" James grinned.

"TEAM ONE!" shouted PK. "ARE YOU READY TO BLAST OFF TO THE LEVEL ABOVE?!"

"That's RIGHT!" they shouted back.

"Let's go bag ourselves a black bird!" PK snarled. "Meowth, you stay here... we'll send someone to pick you up. LET'S GO!"

Meowth sat back and watched Jesse, James, Sabrina and Pikachu vanish into the sky. He sighed. He knew there would be a good chance that he might be the last member of the team left soon, if all didn't go well. He adjusted the belt bandoleer, and decided to let Arbok, Lickitung and Wheezing out to keep him company.

"Take 5 gang! We're here for da duration!" he said. He sat back and played with his pair of binoculars. Looking behind himself, he saw some dark clouds.

"Humm... looks like a storm brewin'... Guess I'll set up a tent..." he said.

A flash of light below him caught his attention as he pulled out the canvas. A road below him rolled along the bottom of the hill they had set up on. He picked up his binoculars and got an eyeful.

A black Jeep Cherokee. Jessie at the wheel with James beside her smiling happily. A flash of his charm told Meowth that he was in the back seat. Jesse was driving without her traditional gloves on. A ring flashed in the sunlight.

Meowth stood shocked. He hadn't realized he was standing over the road to Pallet. And in this dimension, time was just catching up to his OWN time lines! He ran to the top of the hill and looked down. His binoculars spotted TEAM TWERP having a picnic. And the Pikachu was about to enter THAT BUSH!

"Aw no... It's starting all over again!" he said, running down the hill as fast as his feet would take him.

Misty looked around. Togapi was playing with some dirt nearby. But Pikachu wasn't to be seen.

"Ash, where's Pikachu?"

"I saw him getting berries in that bush there... see, there's his tail," he said, lying back on the grass.

"Ah," she said. It was rather cute, the tail hanging out of the bush like that.

Pikachu froze. The two menacing eyes of the Spearow were glaring down on him from above. It reared back in what looked to him like slow motion to peck at him.

"AW NO YOU DON'T!" was heard.

Ash, Misty and Brock turned to see Meowth running through their picnic and into the bush. Pikachu leaped from the shrub towards Ash. Meowth was seen briefly clutching the Spearow. Then he vanished. There was a screeching of tires, then a deafening thump. The limp forms of the Spearow and Meowth were again seen briefly as they flew through the air.

Ash, Misty and Brock ran around the bushes. A black Jeep Cherokee had screeched to a halt in the middle of the highway, with obvious front end damage. They were even more surprised by who they saw get out.

"It's Team Rocket!" Ash yelped. Then he saw the third member get out... "And Meowth?"

"Dat's right!" said the cat Pokémon. "And we're here ta get yer Pikachu! Right?"

"Err, no.. no Meowth... not this time..." James said, his eyes wide as saucers. He then ran around the front of the Jeep and down the road, Jessie close behind him.

"No? Hey, what was dat thump anyway?" Meowth asked.

Ash watched Brock follow James. He and Misty followed soon after.

James bent down over the heap in the highway. Brock opened his backpack and pulled out his medikit. The Meowth was still breathing, only just.

"Here James, help me turn him over..." he said, readying a spray of super-potion.

"Why is Meowth wearing a PokéBall belt? It looks like mine!" James said. Then he saw the mess he was turning over and gritted his teeth. "Oh damn!" he said.

"Yea," Brock said. "He's a mess... the Spearow is dead... looks like it took the brunt of the blow..." He removed the bird, and gave the cat a sprits of the super-potion.

"Hey, what's cha all lookin' at?" Meowth said finally reaching the edge of the group. Then he saw the mess on the ground between James and Brock.

"Jessie! Did yous hit a Meowth?" he spat angrily.

"I didn't mean to Meowth..." Jessie said trying to defend her driving. "He just jumped out in front of us holding onto that Spearow."

"Pika-pika-pi-pi-pika-pika-pikachu!" the electric rodent said.

"Yous don't say... Da rat says that dis Meowth saved it from dat Spearow over dere... It was about ta spear him when he grabbed it," Meowth said.

"That's not all," Brock said. "This Meowth spoke!"

James looked at Brock. "What? That's impossible... only OUR Meowth speaks!"

"J-James? Is dat yous, kid?" the Meowth on the road said, reaching up with his bloodied paw to touch his friend.

"He can speak!" James said in astonishment.

"D-did I save him? Is PK still alive?" he asked.

"PK? Do you mean Pikachu?" Brock said to his patient.

"Brock! Buddy... yea... did I save P - Pikachu?"

Young Ash leaned over Meowth, Pikachu on his shoulder. "Yes, yes you did..." he said.

"Dat's good. Den Jesse's alive... right?"

James looked over at Jessie with a confused expression on his face.

"Good... I've done it! I've broken the circle... You's three don't die... I'm glad... Ow..."

Brock leaned over. "Meowth... you're hemorrhaging inside... I can't stop it... not here... Maybe if I get you to a Pokémon Center... Have you ever been in a PokéBall?"

"No... and I's don't want to start now... T'anks anyway kid. You'll make an excellent President..."

"Charrbok!"

Jessie turned around, and saw Arbok, Wheezing and Lickitung coming from behind the hedge.

"What are you three doing out of your PokéBalls?" she asked. She reached for her PokéBall then felt it shake... Arbok was in his ball... so was Lickitung!

"No no... dey're mine... Sorry guys... It looks like I busted up yer PokéBalls..."

"CHARRBOK!" Arbok said, rushing over to Meowth's side. Meowth looked up at the snake, as it looked down on him with sorrowful eyes. A splattering of rain was starting to fall. Arbok unfurled his hood wide, and shaded the prone Meowth from its pelting.

"T'anks kid... It's been a wild ride, ain't it?"

"Charrrr..."

Brock was just as shocked at this Arbok's reaction as were Team Rocket.

"Don't worry guys..." Meowth said, I'm sure help's on da way fer ya... Ah.. dere it is now!"

It was a slight roar. More a whistling. But a strange looking craft came over the bushes and over the group in the highway. It deployed landing pads, and landed next to the Jeep.  
Meowth closed his eyes as he watched Kinza getting out of his Scat Back.

-----------------------------

The room was white. It smelled clean... sterile. Bleaa!

Meowth rolled over. He had this strange tingling sensation running through his body.

"Well, you're awake at last."

Meowth looked across the room. It was a Joy.

"N - Nurse Joy?" he said.

"No... Doctor Joy," the older looking Joy said. "Welcome to the Stratus League, Meowth Nyaasu."

Meowth rolled over back into his bed.

"Peachy" he said.

-----------------------------

"This is the S.A.M. system, U.N.S. Forrestal - T-Minus-12 hours, 45 minutes to bomb run..."

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers, GENUINE DOORKNOB ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission  
"It's the End of the World as we Know It (And I Feel Fine)" ©1988 R.E.M/Capitol/EMI

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	16. Archangel Part 1 Contact

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Sixteen **

**¤ A ¤ R ¤ C ¤ H ¤ A ¤ N ¤ G ¤ E ¤ L ¤**

**Part One **

**Contact **

**By R. A. Stott**

_**Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall  
and  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy**_

Strom examined the reports. He saw his second watching him and looked up.

"What's up?"

"An odd report from the Stratus League," Mr. Button said. "They report the death of Team One's Meowth..."

Strom looked down at his desk... That was the first one... "A Haunter get him?"

"No... A traffic accident on Level 5..."

The Captain looked at the Commander as if he were peering over glasses. "What?"

Mr. Button nodded, examining the PADD in front of himself. "Seems he was preventing a Spearow from attacking that level's Pikachu Ketchum... and was struck by a vehicle driven by Team Rocket's Jessie and James..."

"Jessie with an 'i'?"

Button looked closely at the pad. "With an 'I'," he said, matter-of-factly.

Strom looked ahead of himself. "Humm... the 'I's have it!" Mr. Button groaned.

"Where is he now?" Strom asked.

"They report that he's made the Stratus League... awaiting disposition.

Strom chuckled. "There's a writ I'd love to see!"

"T-Minus-10 Hours... MARK!" S.A.M. toned in with a chime.

The Captain grumbled. "You really take the fun out of things, S.A.M. - you know that..."

-----------------------------

The trip from Level 5 to Level 4.6 should have seemed as if they had not moved at all. The same location was being used by Team Two. But this upper level had a farm house built on the same hill that Team One had just left down below, and the field of grass was now tall stalks of corn.

Jesse and James stood and stared at the sight. Green corn fields all around had black stripes being drawn in them as strip-wave attacks by red ghosts were creating patterns of death all around. Overhead they could easily see the red haze of the dimensional barrier.

The barrier that the ghosts were belching from was huge... 10 times the size PK remembered from the other day. A phalanx of ghosts would burst from the orifice then veer off in different directions, like they already knew just where they were headed.

"Why are they absorbing the corn?" James asked, perplexed.

"Energy... fast quick energy," PK said. "A transfer this large will need to be replenished quickly... remember, they take _all_ life, not just humans and Pokémon."

PK entered the building. It didn't take him long to find his first victims. The blacken remains of a Growlith and a human with a shotgun. A splattered hole in the wall across from the bodies showed that the farmer went out fighting. PK and Sabrina moved further in. Jesse and James brought up the rear, sensing hard.

Kitchen - Another body... probably the farmer's wife... and a cat of some sort... PK wasn't used to non-Pokémon creatures. The refrigerator was opened, and its contents consumed. Blackened eggs lined the door. Sabrina touched one, and the entire row turned to dust.

James entered the living room. A television was showing some cartoon to another blackened form. The character on the screen said something about "Pepper Breath." James turned it off and headed for the stairwell.

PK and Sabrina opened the door to the basement. A quick check found a stripped larder and little else.

"Uhhh..." came from the darkened corner of the room. Sabrina raised her arm and produced a light orb in the palm of her hand.

"No! No! Go away!" a terrified young girl said.

"Shhh! Shhhh!" Sabrina said as she went over to the child. PK stood behind her, watching and feeling the area. "We're here to help... We're here to help!"

"M-Mommy! Daddy! Billy! Where is my family? Growlie?"

"Shhh... shhhh... we'll find them," Sabrina lied to her, looking back at Pikachu. He looked back at her, knowing that she didn't want to say that she had found some of them already.

PK gave a quick double-take. Sabrina was embracing the child to calm her. But what got PK's attention was the blackened hand holding Sabrina's arm.

"Sabi... She's been attacked... look at her hand..." he said, now really trying to feel any incoming ghosts.

"Oh my..." Sabrina said, looking at the hand, passing her own over it. Some of the color came back, but not much. PK glanced back. Then he looked again, seeing what Sabrina was doing.

"Sabi! What are you doing?" he said in a slightly shocked voice.

"H-he DID!" the girl said. "Your Pikachu talked!"

Sabrina was busy with PK to answer her. "I'm healing her hand... why?"

"Sabi, you know that with that mark, this girl has been tagged by a ghost. It has her taste... it will be back! And you're just adding your flavor to it!"

Sabrina smiled and continued with her work. "I guess I'm like Roy... I'll be damned if I'll let these creatures harm a life if I can do anything about it!"

"Okay... whatever floats your boat..." PK said, returning to his sensing duty.

"Your Pikachu talked!" the girl repeated.

"Yes, he's a very special Pikachu..." Sabrina said, continuing to pass her hand over the girls.

"That feels good..." the girl said, watching Sabrina's work. "Are you a psychic?"

Sabrina raised her eyebrow. "You're very observant, dear. There! All fixed."

"Oh, thank you! You're just like Miss Natsumi!"

PK and Sabrina both locked eyes on the little girl. "Miss Natsumi?" they both said.

"Yes... she's got a friend with a talking Arcanine... I like them... Jazzy's funny... I hope they're all right..."

"Where were they last?" PK asked. "We're looking for them..."

"Upstairs... they were in my bedroom. Mommy and Daddy didn't know they were here."

PK turned to head for the stairs. But then he felt it... a ringing pain above him, a stinging pain below. The ringing pain... all he felt was a family loss... the sting... that required instant judgment NOW!

"PIIIIIIIKAAAAAAAACHUUUUUUU!!!" he shouted, illuminating the floor in front of himself with a massive energy discharge. Bolts bounced around the room, some passing through Sabrina and the girl harmlessly. This was PK's special thundershock especially designed for ghosts!

Up from the ground burst a Red Gengar, trapped within the confines of an energy halo.

PK raised a paw, and what appeared to be some sort of energy sword appeared. A flick of his wrist, and the sword sliced the Gengar in two, then four as it came back. The ghost vaporized.

"My... that was nasty!" Sabrina said to the panting PK.

He looked up, bent over from the exertion. "Special Pikachu, ea?"

"PIKACHU! SABRINA!" was then heard shouted from upstairs. "GET UP HERE, QUICKLY!"

PK lifted off the ground, and was flying up the stairs. Sabrina covered the little girl's head and followed. She managed to cover her face with her hand to avoid any unpleasant sights between the basement and the stairwell.

PK got to the top of the stairs. There, he was greeted by 6 GassyBalls, all rocking with full contents.

SHHHHHLOOOP!

PK looked into what turned out to be a bathroom. James had just filled a seventh ball. He tossed it out the door into the pile on the floor, and generated another out of sub-space.

"I see you've got your feel for sub-space storage shunts down," PK said to him.

James smiled at the GassyBall in his hand then dropped his head. "Come on... I've got to show you something..." He exited the bathroom and headed down the hall towards the front of the house. PK and Sabrina followed.

"Coming in!" he shouted to a closed door.

"Okay," Jesse answered. James opened the door, which passed though a form on the floor.

PK looked into the room, then back at Sabrina. He put his paw up in a stop position. "You don't want to bring her in here," he said.

"James..." she said, handing the child to him.

"James?" the girl said. "Jazzy told me all about you!" He got a strange look on his face, and headed into another room with his new bundle.

The form that the door had passed through was Arcanine. He was lying on his side, out cold. From his mid section back was hardly visible. PK looked about. This was the little girl's room all right. Smoldering dolls and a torched bed were in one corner. Jesse was over in another corner, holding the hand of someone behind a dresser. PK headed over to her side.

"H-hey Team Leader RatTrap! How'd we do?"

PK looked at Jazzy. From his left shoulder down was nothing, vanished. The same for his legs.

PK looked at the ground. "Report..."

Jazzy shrugged with his remaining shoulder. "What's there to say? The Red Ghosts came here first... End of story..."

PK looked up and glared. "That's only part of it, son... where's Myamoto and Bucky? Where's Miss Natsumi?"

Jazzy's face turned pale. He bit his lip then looked at the floor. "M... Myamoto and Sabrina..." he said.

Jesse squeezed Jazzy's hand. "Sabrina?" she asked. "She's here, with US..."

PK shook his head. "Miss Natsumi is Sabrina... Her elder self..."

Jesse's eyes shrunk to pinpoints. "W-what about my mother and Sabi?" she quivered.

"They..." continued Jazzy, "...they went onto the rooftop to try and close the barrier..."

PK looked back at Sabrina. "Do you feel them?" he asked.

Sabrina scanned the room. "I have not felt myself in this time-line... But if I had been here, or if I had been destroyed, I would have felt it..."

PK looked back at the spirit on the floor. "Jazzy, was she wearing any sort of device around her neck?"

He nodded. "You mean that doorknob thing she talked about? Yea, she had one..."

Sabrina continued to stare at the walls, slowly turning. "I would have still felt her demise, if she were destroyed... ah..."

PK looked back at her. "Yes?"

"In that direction... a barn... I sense something there... not myself... but someone..."

Just then, the back end of Arcanine slipped though the floor.

"They're loosing cohesiveness! Quickly, get Arcanine into a MediBall!" PK said, seeing the Pokémon slipping further. Jesse pulled a blue PokéBall with a red cross on it out of sub-space and tossed it at the body. It took in its soul to transport, then returned with a thwack into Jesse's palm.

"T-Take care of him, Jessie..." Jazzy said weakly.

"You're not gone yet, son," PK said. "As long as there's a little bit of you left, you can still be retrieved or restored."

Jesse pulled another of the strange PokéBalls out of sub-space and readied another pick-up.

"Jazzy... before you go in..." PK said to the trainer, "what happened to Bucky?"

Jazzy looked down, a tear running down his cheek. "It... it was like they targeted him first, Pikachu... The first ghost came in the window and headed right for him... bounced him right off the bed... then the rest of the ghosts started to come in... that little sparkplug must have fried a dozen of those ghosts alone... You Pikachus get wild energy when you become spirits, don't you?"

"We're not spirits..." PK said turning away from Jazzy to look at the smoldering bed. "That's why they went for him first..."

"Not a spirit?" Jesse questioned. "Pikachu, what ARE you then?"

He didn't answer. That feeling he had earlier... the ringing pain... it drew him to the bed... under the bed.

PK raised his right hand, and the bed tipped up, standing on end against the wall.

"BUCKY!"

The house shook with a roar that almost drowned out Pikachu's shout of pain. A warp gate had formed south of the building, and streams of Skat Backs were now entering the dimension.

"Flight Leader 1 to all wings... Groups 3, 4 and 5 - Viridian... 6 and 7 - Pewter... 8, 9 and 10 - Mount Moon to Cerulean... 11 and 12 - Lavender... 13, 14 and 15 - Celadon... 16, 17, 18 and 19 - Saffron... 20, 21 and 22 - Fuchsia to the Safari Zone... Wing 2 to the outer islands... Wing 3 to the Orange Islands... Groups 1, 2 and 3 with me to Pallet! BREAK!"

The armada of small craft split, much as the ghosts entering the dimension were doing at the barrier.

"Flight Leader to Team Two... Flight Leader to Team Two - Come in Team Two... Over..."

The trans-dimensional com unit, tossed across the room during the battle crackled. Sabrina lifted it off the ground with a psychic thought and took it in her hands. "This is Team One, Kinza... go ahead..."

There was a moment of silence as the transmitter was probably realizing what had occurred. "Sabrina, is there anyone left?" the unit asked.

"Yes... only just..."

"Bucky?" it asked.

Sabrina closed her eyes, a tear running down her cheek. "Stand by..." she said.

An outline of his body. A small yellow haze where his face should be. There wasn't much to be seen other than these few telltale signs that PK's twin brother was still there.

"Squeak..." he managed to say, the haze fading slightly when he attempted to sound.

"No, no... shhh..." PK said, trying to hold his brother's paw. He attempted to give him energy, but as he knew it would, it was rejected. The inevitable was coming, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"What about a MediBall?" Jesse asked, trying to find anything to help this helpless situation.

PK shook his head. "We can't be put into PokéBalls..." he said. Jesse looked at PK with a questioning look on her face. She looked over at the doorway. James was there, watching as well. The shout of the small Pokémon's name had brought the child running, and he could do nothing but follow her.

"Bucky! Bucky! No, Bucky!" she wept, bending down next to PK.

"Bucky... how am I going to explain this to mother?" PK said, tears streaming from his eye.

The outline that was once his left arm rose up and made the victory sign. Then it vanished.

"Squeak." The yellow faded, and Bucky closed his eyes.

Sabrina keyed the mic. "We just lost him..."

"Heaven help us all..." the box whispered back.

"Tina... Tina, over here..."

The little girl looked over into the corner. "Oh, Jazzy! Not you too!" she cried, and ran over to the partly vanished spirit. She leaned into his chest and wept.

Jazzy stroked her long dark blond hair, claming the child. "She played with Bucky all night..." he said, leaning his head against the wall.

Sabrina felt a sudden jolt of energy sweep though the house. She looked at PK, who was still bent over the spot his brother had departed from.

"I suggest we all stand back," she said, following her own suggestion. Jesse moved next to her, and James peered over her shoulder from the doorway.

"No... never again..." PK said in a grunt. He started to grow in size. An energy field started to form over his shoulders, feet and head. He stood upright, extending his hands outwards. Gauntlets appeared. Armored leg and feet covers were next. Shoulder and chest-plate festooned with the symbol of the Stratus League followed. Finally, a leather helm with a chain-mail drape completed the body armor. PK looked over at the group watching this transformation. The helm on his head was quite unique. It covered over the eye-patch with an extended section with what looked like a mechanical eye, and it had the symbol of a goddess on the fore-piece to bless it.

There was a flash. When everyone could see again, what they saw was... extraordinary...

A pair of golden white wings now stretched from PK's back, and a halo floated over his head. He also now carried a sizable REAL sword, silver and gold, with blue diamond shaped highlights.

"THIS is why we can't be put in PokéBalls..." he said, taking flight, and whisking out the window.

James stared out the window from the doorway. "What IS he?" he questioned again.

"An angel, silly," the small child said, looking out the window at the departing PK.

-----------------------------

Kinza saw a yellow streak fly from the house. "Groups 1, 2 and 3... clear the area of the dimensional portal! Assume defensive positions!" he barked into his com unit, then peeled his ship off to starboard. He circled around the barn beside the house, bringing his ship to a halt, and hovered.

His attention was on the yellow streak, when a rock bounced off his deflector shield. He tipped his wing slightly. Someone was down there waving at him.

"Group 1... Kelly, take over... I'm landing for a minute..." he said.

"Roger that..."

The Skat Back dropped its landing pads and surrendered to the ground. Kinza slid the canopy forward to greet the person running towards him.

"Myamoto is it?" he said to the black shirt.

Myamoto stopped in her tracks. She had not expected the Tomassamassa to be piloting the craft.

"Mr... Kinza?" she asked. "I need help, quickly!"

Kinza pulled out a pack from the ship and slid a shield over his arm, then followed the spirit into the barn, a scanning rod buzzing all the way.

What he found when he entered the barn was... different...

The elder Sabrina, or Natsumi as Team Two was calling her, was sitting on the ground in a lotus position, meditating, eyes firmly shut, and whispering to herself.

"Madame President... what are you doing?" he asked.

No response.

He scanned her. Then he looked at his readout with a questioning stare. He picked up a stick and held it out. The end of it vaporized as he touched the outer boundaries of a force field of sorts.

"So, what gives here?" he said to Myamoto.

Myamoto shook her head. "Natsumi felt that our combined strength would be able to shut down the portal with a psychic blast... almost did too... Our first shot nearly closed it. We never got a chance for a second shot... the ghosts started in on us and the house. She threw me into one of her orbs and tossed me into the barn. When I got up, I found her here, chanting away."

"Was that field around her as well?" Kinza asked, examining a ring that had formed along the ground around Natsumi.

"No... I thought I had seen a Gastly enter the barn just before the field showed up. Why?"

Kinza looked at his scanner again. "It would explain these readings. This isn't a real force field... it's your Gastly. Sabi... I mean Natsumi... was setting up a conduit for some reason... The Gastly seems to have been caught in a trans-dimensional vortex formed by the conduit... Hummm..."

Myamoto looked at the expression on the Tomassamassa's face. He was glancing back and forth between his arm shield and the force field. "Have you an idea?" she asked.

"Possibly..." he said. "Seems your friends at Tech Lab 1 stumbled onto a little surprise a few hours ago... These ghosts can't go though ceramic shielding."

"Interesting... that explains that chunk of porcelain on your arm?"

Kinza took the shield off and held it out, a devilish look on his face. "What say we try to give this ghost a headache?"

Myamoto smiled.

Sabrina came out of the house and looked over towards the barn. With the doors wide open, it was easy for her to see what was happening just inside. She leapt from the porch flying.

"KINZA! NO!!" she yelled, just a hair too late.

Kinza swung the sheet of ceramic into the field.

CLANGGGGGG!!!!

The shield snapped above Kinza's grip on it, leaving a narrow section in his grasp. The section that had broken off flipped over his head and shattered across the dirt floor. The Gastly that had made up the field smashed into a support beam to the barn, vaporizing.

But the big surprise came from Natsumi, as her eyes flew open. "NOOOOOO!!!" she shouted.

PK felt the sudden surge of energy from below. It felt like a drain at first, but then it seemed more like another portal forming. He wanted to check it out, but something more important was occurring at that moment.

The skies were now darkening around the main dimensional portal. It began to grow in size.

"Flight leader 1 to groups 1, 2 and 3! Here it comes! Prevent any ghosts from transferring any energy!"

Sabrina stopped and turned around. She saw the skies and felt the ominous feeling she had been dreading all this time.

"JESSE! JAMES!" she shouted. "IT'S HERE!"

The two members of Team Rocket came to the porch.

The form of Natsumi vanished. What remained was a widening hole.

Kinza and Myamoto dashed out of the barn as the hole grew.

"Okay Sabrina," Kinza said to the psychic expert, "what did I just do?"

"Well, if I were her... and I thought that there was only one way to get rid of the Black Lugia, I would form a dimensional vortex off into limbo, and try to get the Black Lugia to fall into it..."

Myamoto looked back at the hole, which now was taking the barn with it. "But she fell into it as well!" she said.

"Then I would think she would send herself to a safe zone..."

Kinza's face fell. "Aw no... not the Stratus..." He looked up at the darkening skies.

The barrier expanded rapidly. From the black of the barrier, two red burning eyes appeared. Soon, a gaping maw could be seen, followed by a bellowing cry that shook the skies and hearts all around. Black Lugia had arrived.

It surveyed its surroundings. The expected energy wave wasn't there... that was odd... Battles? More of those strange ships that had appeared before? And... what is this? Spirits... and something else... something more... tasty...

The massive bird-dragon looked down on the yellow spot below him.

"You..." it said.

"I've been waiting..." PK said, tossing his sword from gauntlet to gauntlet. Then he saw a Haunter dashing for Black Lugia. The normal red glow of the evil ghost's body was surrounded by a slight blue haze.

"NO!" PK shouted, feeling the energy of his brother! A Skat Back followed the Haunter, firing its weapons at it. But the ghost was too maneuverable, and dodged all attempts at it. The ship veered away from the evil Lugia, firing at it as well, only to find its beams deflected by a mirror wave.

The Haunter moved up to the Lugia's head, and looked down on PK with a snide smile. It then darted into the maw. It left the maw, no longer glowing.

"Mmmm... Tasty, you angels..." it smiled.

PK boiled. "I will finish you..." he growled.

"Yes, but I now have your powers..." the evil bird remarked.

"Not mine..." PK sneered back. "My brother was a mere angel... I am a bit more than that..."

"I doubt that... Haunters, take him!"

A huge rush of red flowed out of the barrier towards PK.

"All groups clear the area!" Kinza shouted as he got back into his Skat Back. "Take pre-assigned positions... charge plasma cannons!"

Red Haunters now surrounded PK attempting to envelop him. But his sword streaked through any that attempted to get near.

"Enough of this!" he yelled. "THUNDER SWORDS!"

The first time they had seen PK do this, Jesse and James swore it took longer than this time. Yellow energy erupted and burst in a lightning storm of shattered energy flung away at the Haunters, Gastlys and Gengars. The red field around the rodent evaporated before Black Lugia's eyes.

"Now!" Sabrina shouted. "Before it can do anything else! Jesse, James, Myamoto! We've got to close the barrier!"

Jesse looked at James and nodded. She looked at her 'mother' who nodded as well.

The three spirits and the Psychic Supreme began a chant. Blue energy started to form around them. It was being too slow!

Black Lugia looked down on them. "Fools! I will devour your energy!"

"ALL SHIPS! FIRE!"

The spirits had distracted Black Lugia enough. 18 orbs of energy - the Skat Backs Plasma Cannons - were fired, target, Black Lugia!

Of the 18 salvos, 10 hit home. The Black Lugia fell from in front of the barrier.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH - AH!" the quartet shouted, sending their own burst of energy skyward. In its dazed condition, Black Lugia could only watch the burst of energy strike the opening of its barrier. It flared then vanished. No further red ghosts would be coming through it.

Black Lugia looked around. Behind him, he saw PK heading for him, sword extended. Around him, the small ships were heading for him. Below... a convenient escape!

"Quickly! We must close this portal!" Sabrina shouted.

"How?" James asked, bent over panting hard from the last energy discharge.

"Just as we did to THAT barrier! QUICKLY!"

Black Lugia snap to, and stroke the air hard. Its obvious target was the vortex below, but it suddenly veered off.

PK shot into the vortex.

"Lugian Forces! To me!" Black Lugia bellowed, flying off.

A Red Haunter flew up to Black Lugia's head. "Haw-haw-hawhaw-hawww!" it said.

"Excellent! Show me!"

The ghost and dragon-bird veered off to the south.

-----------------------------

James looked down the swirling chasm. "I sure hope that's a two-way barrier!"

"NO - IT - ISN'T!" PK groaned as he struggled free of it, his wings pounding hard against the vortex. Clearing it, he turned and looked down on the swirling mass. "And it should have closed up as soon as I went through it!"

"It was probably set up for a larger mass than yours PK..." Sabrina said.

"You mean that BARN wasn't enough mass? I'd check the setting of this thing! Now which way did Black Lugia go?"

"Follow the Skat Back!" Sabrina said, pointing at the floating ship overhead.

PK flew along side the Skat Back as it headed south. The direction seemed familiar to him. Then it dawned on him, and he lit his afterburner, leaving the Skat Back behind.

Four more ships were passed as he broke the barriers of common sense. The world blurred into a tunnel. He pulled up finally, seeing the familiar forest below. A river flowed over a waterfall. The cool quiet of the trees hid the fact that a dangerous creature lurked somewhere within.

PK floated through the thickets and clearings. Then he came upon a grisly sight. He stood, head down, ashamed of his foolish tangle with the vortex. Ashamed that he hadn't stopped the Black Lugia before... this.

His 'family' had been harmed once again. This time, what was his adoptive wild family in his own dimension, friends he had made years ago in his travels with Ash, Brock and Misty. Friends that he had bonded with. Many now lay dead before him. But this time, not by any ghosts or strip-wave. This time, someone tore into them, crushing, slicing, murdering... PK gagged.

"Heaheaheahea..." grumbled a form from the trees. "They made tasty snacks, hea hea..."

PK raised his sword, and turned to the horror in the woods.

"I'm fully powered now, Pokémon... You can not stop me."

The creature tromped out of the tree line, revealing the mess he had made of himself. Blood trickled down from his mouth. But what caught PK's attention were the two red sacks that were forming below his eyes.

"I've been listening in on the communications of those starships that have been tracking me," Black Lugia said, the sack starting to glow. "Let me show you what a Terawatt is..."

Sparks and electricity started to form across his face. PK stood his ground, sword before himself.

"THUNDER SHIELD!" he yelled, just as Black Lugia fired.

BUVVVVVZAAAAPHSHHHZZZZZZZ!!!

The energy discharge arched and burned the surface of the ground until it reached PK's position. Then it hit the shield, which deflected it in hundreds of directions. Many feet stood between the target and the striking beam.

"MIRROR WAVE!" PK added to his shield. The force field glistened then reflected the beam back on the Black Lugia, sending it backwards. It reared back up, fuming. It swung around and whipped PK with its tail, sending him flying into a heap on the ground across the clearing from him.

"HA! As I suspected! Your powers are single purposed! You can deflect an energy wave, but a physical attack on the same defense renders it useless!" he howled.

"You'd be surprised just what I can do, monster!" PK cursed as he picked himself up. "THUNDER CUTTER!"

PK sliced the air with his sword. Razor sharp energy bursts flew away towards the Black Lugia.

The energized shards hit! Black Lugia reared back. They HURT! Branches of the trees severed. Leaves and brush diced all around. The monster looked at his right wing and saw trickles of blood. HIS OWN BLOOD!

The irate clone blasted the area that PK stood in with a wall of flame. When it stopped, it saw nothing but smoldering grass.

"Fire, ea?" came from above. "You've been pigging out, haven't you?"

Black Lugia smiled and looked at the flying rodent. "Did I forget to tell you that Ponyta's taste like chicken?"

"What's a chicken?" PK asked, as he made another run for the creature.

The evil Lugia ran across the ground for a short spurt then launched itself, avoiding the attack. It flew over to the river, alighting on the water's surface. PK came over the tree line. There he saw Black Lugia devouring a Goldeen.

"My, you do have a large appetite, don't you?" PK said, resuming his attack.

Black Lugia smiled. A horn now extended from its forehead. "Supersonic" he said.

PK's ears rang bells that deafened him. He fell backwards to the force of a sound wave that flattened trees all around. 20 miles away, 2 of the Skat Backs that were in a holding position had their unbreakable windscreens break.

Black Lugia landed in the mud of the river's bottom - an unexpected occurrence. The force of its sonic blast had also sent the river back up its course. No matter... he was about to have a super angel for a dinner...

...Maybe...

What was forced back now returned with a vengeance. A torrent of water, backed up for miles, returned to the banks of the river faster than the monster had expected! Rather than follow its normal course, the water rushed over a far bank in a curve in the river, and burst over the high bank in front of Black Lugia. The torrent swallowed the beast, rushing it quickly off the edge of the water falls.

PK held onto a tree, attempting to get his hearing back. When he finally opened his eye, a bright blur greeted him, as if an iris on a camera was opened too wide. He shook his head and blinked a few times. His vision cleared, but he still felt a ringing in his ears. He looked around for his sword. Sensing it, he reached out with a gauntlet hand. The blade flew from the muddy waters into his hand. Once again, he took to the air, seeking the creature.

He saw a gathering of red to the east, which was now heading north. He followed and closed in.

-----------------------------

Sabrina was on one side of the vortex. Jesse was to her right, James to her left, and Myamoto across. They all were starting their chant.

In the house, Jazzy and Tina were sitting in her bedroom. Jazzy had requested Jesse not put him into the MediBall - someone had to watch over Tina while they continued their battle...

But by this time, he was tired of being only part himself.

"Must balance my energy... must balance my energy... must balance my energy..." he said to himself. The young Tina sat and stared at him, watching his body as his missing parts would appear then fade.

He had reminded himself of something the first translator had told him. "Feathers and beaks, son," the Pidgeotto Aero told him. "You're a spirit... an energy field with consciousness and awareness. You're a sum of your parts and energy... no more, no less... as a spirit, a loss of one part can be compensated by the rest... All you need to do is do it."

"I WILL balance my energy! I WILL balance my energy!"

Tina smiled, as she saw Jazzy's arm return, then his legs. "Jazzy! You're back!" she said, delighted.

Jazzy fell back against the wall, exhausted. "Yayyyyy!" he said with little breath left. "I may be whole again, but I'm far from back..."

Tina came over to him and picked up his returned right hand. "You feel here," she said.

He smiled. "Yes, I'm here... but I have little energy left... I wonder how spirits recharge themselves?"

"You don't know?" Tina asked, a puzzled look on her face.

Jazzy looked at her. Then he cocked his head in thought. "You know... I don't... I haven't been a spirit long enough to find out!"

"You look a little dull... your face is almost gray..." she said, examining him.

He looked at her, then across the room at a mirror that was still hanging on the torched wall. She was right, he had looked better. His brown hair was almost a tan, and his dark blue shirt was now light blue.

"Jazzy, what did you do before?" Tina asked, the innocence of age rearing within that question.

"Before?" Jazzy asked, worried about the rest of the question.

"Before you were a spirit?" she asked. Yup... just the question Jazzy didn't want to hear!

Jazzy sat up, grabbing his knees. He looked at the young eyes, blue as his Jessie's. He sighed. Then he looked at his shirt.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, holding the large red letter out with two fingers.

"It's an Rwwr," the young mouth slurred. Jazzy chuckled.

"That's right, an R... Do you know what it means?"

"Team Rwocket!" she said, much to Jazzy's surprise.

"That's right... Team Rocket..."

"Team Rwocket isn't nice... are you with Team Rwocket?"

Jazzy looked at the girl, a touch of sadness running through him. He turned his head and looked at the ground. Youthful innocence, but a knowledge of... truth?

"I was..." he said. "But Team Rocket isn't all bad... there's a good side to it. Friends... I had many friends... Jessie, James, Meowth..."

"The talking Meowth! Meeowth, dats right!" Tina chirped with a smile.

Jazzy smiled, remembering he had told her the story of Meowth last night as a bedtime story. He continued his list... mostly for himself, to ease the pain that was growing within him. "There was Exile... poor old Exile... and Shadow... I miss Shadow..."

"Shadow?" Tina asked, her eyes expecting another story. "Who is Shadow?"

Jazzy leaned over to the girl. "Shadowcat... a very special friend. She's part human, and part cat... Dark gray fur all over, except on her head, where she's got a mop of long golden yellow hair, and the prettiest green cat's eyes you've ever seen."

"Oooooh," the girl cooed. "Just like my Muffy! I'd like to meet her!"

Jazzy felt a pang run through his soul. "I would like to show her to you... someday..."

"That would be fun!" Tina said, jumping up and dancing around, hands up and fingers curled as if she were a cat. "Meow! Meow! I'm Shadowcat! Try and catch me!" She then ran about the room.

Jazzy held onto his knees, watching the child dance and play. Shadow would have kittens if she had seen this... He chuckled to himself.

A flash lit up the windows of the room. Jazzy stood up and peered out the one that seemed to give off the brightest glow. Looking out, he saw the vortex, and the three spirits and the psychic looking at the swirling mass disgustedly. The attempt to seal it had failed.

"Where's the barn?" Tina asked, looking out the window below Jazzy. He didn't answer. He felt something to the other side of the house. He ran to the other window, the one facing south.

A dark red wave was coming, stripping and churning the sky and ground. It was heading right for them.

"TINA! TO ME!" he yelled.

She stood looking at him, the shock of the yell freezing her in her tracks. Jazzy reached over and grabbed the small bundle, and jumped out the window.

His power may have been low, but he was still able to fly, just.

Sabrina saw Jazzy and the girl exiting the house through the front window. "JAZZY!?" she yelled.

"STRIP WAVE! HEADING THIS WAY!" he shouted back, gaining altitude slowly.

"Tina!" James yelled, and took flight after Jazzy. His powers were still with him, even with the expenditure on the vortex and barrier. He grabbed Jazzy and Tina, and tripled their speed.

Jesse and Myamoto looked at Sabrina. She watched the two men and child head out.

"They may have a good point... we, right now, can't defend this point against a strip wave..."

"Then let's get going while the getting's good!" Jesse said, readying the take off. Myamoto's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"What is it Natsumi?" she asked.

Sabrina smiled at the use of her last name. "Why would the ghosts be coming back here? There's more energy in the cities than here right now..."

Jesse and Myamoto looked at the vortex before them. It was the only reason for a strip wave to be returning to this point... and...

"Do you think Black Lugia is with this wave?" Jesse asked, nervously.

Sabrina nodded. "Where's PK?"

A flight of five Skat Backs blasted overhead, as Jesse and Myamoto's eyes grew wide at the thought.

A sixth Skat Back, trailing smoke and flames followed, loosing altitude rapidly. An ejection of a pod-like device from the rear of the ship occurred, which then rocketed skywards.

"Oh, I hope that makes it!" the voice of Kinza said behind them. They all turned to see him looking at the pod as it headed skywards. "FRACK! IT DIDN'T!"

The spot that was the pod blinked for a moment.

"Kinza to all craft and teams!" he was shouting into his com unit. "PACK DETONATION! PACK DETONATION! FULL SHIELDS NOW!"

The blinking stopped, and the explosion started. It was bright, and amazingly hot for the distance it had occurred from.

Red ghosts burst all around the Black Lugia, as a heated wave of air blasted him down to the surface!

Sabrina, Jesse and Myamoto were pushed down by the blast energy. Kinza had all ready laid out on the ground, knowing what was coming.

Jazzy and James saw the flash and turned on the speed. It caught them, and carried them along as if body surfing a wave.

PK formed an energy field around himself and rode out the storm of heat and wind.

It then passed. Sabrina, Jesse and Myamoto found themselves under a field of energy courtesy of another device from Kinza's bag of tricks. He looked over at the house to see the roof burning.

"Good old North!" he mumbled, and shut off the field generator. Instantly, a wave of hot air struck them as the field shut down. "Whoosh! That's hot!"

"Kinza, what was that?" Jesse shouted. "And how did you get here?"

Kinza stood up and dusted himself off. "Black Lugia has somehow found a Pikachu to eat... It's gained the red electric sacks under its eyes."

"PK!?" Sabrina gasped.

Kinza shook his head. "No, he's still out there... My scanners showed that... But this probably didn't help any..." he said, looking up at the still shimmering detonation site.

"What happened then?"

"Old Blackie showed me his zapping capability, that's what! Shot off a near-terawatt zap that nuked my shields in a single burst! Nearly got my power core too... that sure would have finished this in a hurry!"

Sabrina moved closer to Kinza, a stern look on her face. "Kinza, I thought we agreed that your ships would be powered by conventional means..."

He looked at her with surprise. "They ARE... there's no anti-matter in those ships... if there was, we wouldn't be here right now..."

"Anti-Matter?" Myamoto said with a start.

"We use Pseudo-Matter... a transmat generated form of Anti-Matter," Kinza said, getting technical. "Technically, if the transmat is shut off, the Pseudo-Matter simply vanishes..."

"So what happened?" Sabrina continued to press.

"That shot of energy by Blackie happened. It super-charged my systems. The transmats must have remained on during the evac-sequence."

Sabrina still wasn't impressed. "The fact of the matter is that you're still using a power source that could easily destroy us as well!"

Kinza fired back bearing his very cat-like teeth in the process. "You want ships that can follow you through the Trans-Dimensional Barrier Zone? Then you're going to get ships with either Anti-Matter or Pseudo-Matter power plants!"

"FWEEEEP!!" whistled Myamoto with her fingers at her mouth. "People, granted, this is all fascinating information, but aren't we currently waiting for a strip wave?"

Kinza shook his head. "I think that burst stopped them for a moment... If I hadn't put up that force field when I did, we'd all be crispy critters now..."

It looked as if Kinza was right about that one. The red glow that had formed before around the house had vanished for a yellow glow produced by the burning Pseudo-Matter.

Black Lugia raised itself from the ash around him. He looked around at the devastation the explosion has caused. "And they call ME a threat!" he thought to himself. "I'll have to be more careful when shooting those ships down!"

"RED GHOSTS! ATTEND ME!" he bellowed.

The force of the blast had finally caught up with PK, and tossed him far away. When he opened his eye, he found ocean. The Orange Islands were below. Nuts! He scorched the skies returning whence he came.

The surf ride came to a crashing end for James, Jazzy and Tina. Seeing the approaching tall pine trees ahead, Jazzy had managed to tuck Tina within a ball of himself, and they smashed through the treetops.

But something was wrong. Instead of the striking of evergreens as he had expected, he found black dust bursting off his back. They descended into the forest, striking larger and larger trees, and bursting through them as if they were age-old balsa wood!

A foot wide tree trunk shattered as they continued their uncontrolled flight. With another 20 to 30 feet of tree above them, the section fell into the neighboring tree, and that into the next, and on and on in a domino effect!

Jazzy extended his legs, and caught the next trunk with his feet, cushioning the blow, and stopping their flight cold.

But the trunk snapped. James took the brunt of the material as is fell past them.

When it was done, a cloud of blackened dust filled the dead woods. James and Jazzy looked at one another. They were soot covered.

"Jessie's gonna kill us!" Jazzy said.

"Me first! I'm married to her!" James said, watching the ground, as they slowly came in for a landing.

Jazzy let Tina down. She had managed to avoid the black soot.

"Try this," James said. He faded out slightly, walked to one side then returned to solid form. The shape of his soot stood for a moment, then fell to the ground next to him.

"I'm surprised that I can hold soot at all!" Jazzy said, still weak. He followed James' example, and the shadow of Jazzy fell to the ground with a pouf of smoke. Tina coughed slightly.

Looking around themselves was disturbing. Blackened trees everywhere were illuminated by the hole they created by their crash landing, and resulting widening of the canopy.

"This is a rather dangerous situation we're in, Jazzy..." James said, watching stray pieces of branches falling, starting small avalanches of more branches. "If we break any of these trees at their bases..."

"Nasty," Jazzy said. "Let's get out of here..."

They started to trek through the dead forest.

PK felt the surge of ghosts below. A glance down confirmed what he felt. The waves of ghosts were now heading in the same direction he was going. Black Lugia was retrieving his minions!

Faster. Faster! He had to out match the speed of the ghosts!

He felt a thump. He looked up and saw a Haunter, attempting to enter the shielding surrounding him. A second one approached him. Then a third. And a forth.

PK wheeled around, his sword blazing. He sliced two of the ghosts. Then again. He swept his sword back and forth, vaporizing a dozen ghosts along the way.

He came to a halt. The ghosts encircled him then closed in.

"PIIIIIIIKAAAAAAACHUUUUUUUU!!!!!" he shouted, erupting in a fiery aura. A horde of ghosts vanished within the heat and electricity of his pulse.

PK turned and resumed his flight. Faster... faster!

A swell came from below. An ocean of ghosts headed skywards, breaking away from their strip-wave of a small town below. It gurgled and boiled as it rose to meet the Pikachu.

"THUNDER SWORDS!!" he yelled, flinging electrified swords into the swell as it approached him. He gained altitude and continued to pour bolts into the mass.

From above, a small group of Haunters dove at PK.

-----------------------------

Black Lugia smiled. He felt the surge of the ghosts coming to him, as his call for them to return to him was being heeded.

He knew that he didn't have the energy to transport them to another dimension, but a way was available to him. He flapped his wings and flew for the farm house in the distance. A wave of red took the lead.

The five Skat Backs of Group 1 circled the vortex, readying a salvo from their plasma cannons.

"Strip Wave has resumed, Elb Kinza!" reported one of the ships. "5 miles - closing!"

"Then we'd better get this over with!" he barked back at his communicator. He and the ladies had moved away from the swirling chasm to the far side of a hill. "FIRE!"

The nose of the five ships glowed, then spat an energy burst, as a plasma bolt was sent hurling towards the vortex. This was quickly followed by a second volley, and a third per ship.

Kinza watched, nervously. The first series of shots seemed to strike above the surface of the torrent. It flared slightly, but remained open. The second salvo hit around the edge of the vortex, deflected by the energy bursts of the first salvo. The third... oh my...

Three of the five plasma bolts zoomed into the vortex. The remaining two struck the surface again. No results.

"2 miles and closing!" yelped the worried pilot at the approaching red storm.

"Stratus League to Team One! Stratus League to Team One!" now blurted over the coms. "Cease fire! Cease fire! Plasma bolts have hit the courtyard of the Stratus League!"

"ONE MILE!!"

Kinza stood up and ran for the vortex, waving for the ladies to follow. "Group 1, clear out of here! NOW!"

"Elb! What about you?" the temporary flight leader called back. "We can't just leave you here!"

"I've GOT a way out of this! GO!!" he yelled back.

The Skat Backs reluctantly flew away. Kinza came up to the edge of the vortex, and looked behind himself for the ladies.

"I sure hope you're right about this, Kinza!" Jesse said.

"No time to worry about it ladies! GO!!" he waved them in.

Jesse jumped. Myamoto followed. Sabrina looked at Kinza, dropped her gaze then hugged him.

"You did your best..." she said.

"I ain't through yet, ma'am!" he growled back. "Now, get in there!"

She smiled and nodded, turned to the vortex, and dove in.

Kinza looked up. He saw the farm house blast into splinters as the red storm hurled itself at him. He jumped in.

To make salt water taffy, one must pull, stretch and fold the candy dough until the proper amount of air is folded into the mixture. Kinza felt as if he had just been dropped into a folding and spindling machine. The stretching was one thing... the folding was another...

When he opened his eyes, Kinza found a pair of brown toes near his face.

"Do you's know just how close ya came ta nukin' me?" DO'S YA!?"

"Ummm... I see you're up and about, Meowth..." Kinza groggily said, pushing at the ground to get up. But he stopped when he saw the cat Pokémon. He leaned on one elbow and looked in curious amazement.

"Where did you get THAT stuff?" he asked.

Meowth stood before him, bedecked in armor from head to toe... well almost toe, as they stuck out of the get up.

"You's like it? I t'ought it shows my more battle-hardened side, don't you's t'ink?"

Kinza snorted. "You look like a Pizza Cat!"

Meowth glared at Kinza. "I liked dat show..." he snarled. He lifted off the ground and floated over toward the ladies, who all seemed to have managed to land on their feet... Oh to have psychic powers!

"Meowth, does that suit have thrusters or something?" Jesse asked, watching him float about.

"Thrusters?" HA!" Meowth chortled. "Who needs thrusters?" I'm a spirit just like you's now, Jesse!"

Jesse's jaw dropped. "What!?"

Kinza finally stood up. "Happened just after you left him on Level 5... Mister Nobility here prevented your counterparts on that level from starting that nasty cycle you've been in by taking the Spearow out that caused Pikachu to jump out in front of your Jeep..."

Jesse stared bug-eyed at Meowth. "You did?"

"Meeowth, Dat's right!" he said gleefully.

Kinza shook his head. "Okay, Sir Meowth-Alot... what's the current status here?"

"I t'ink dey said Defense Status... Why?"

Kinza pulled out his com unit. "Ain't enough..." he said, keying the unit. "This is Elb Kinza," he echoed over the PA system. "All stations, Red Alert... Repeat, Red Alert! Stand by battle stations!"

Klaxons sounded, as Kinza looked around the landing fields in search of anything that resembled a Skat Back. He trotted off towards a pair he saw in the distance.

Meowth started to follow. Jesse grabbed him by the arm.

"Why?" she asked him.

"Why what, Jess?" he asked back.

"Why did you throw your life away like that? Why did you save that Pikachu?"

"You's mean, why did I save you's, don't ya?" he smiled back. She released her grip on him.

"Listen kid... I'll tell yas somethin' dat I never t'aught I'd ever say... That year after yer death... den James... dat was da hardest year I could ever imagin'... You's don't know what it was like... I may have had all yer Pokémon fer company, but I sure felt alone in da woild..."

Jesse looked over at MyamotoTwo. "I think I know Meowth... I think I know..."

He looked at her gaze, and knew she did. "Well, when I saw the Jeep wit' you two drivin' along headin' fer dat accident, I knew I couldn't just stand dere and watch it happen again... Maybe I just didn't want my other self ta have ta go through what I did... But really, I couldn't stand ta loose you's two again..." He swiped a tear away then flew off. Jesse watched, and in her mind thanked her friend.

-----------------------------

The dangers on the blackened forest was becoming evident to Jazzy and James. The slightest breeze started cascades of blackened wood down upon them, and they'd need to hurry along to avoid hurting the little girl they protected. A short while back, she had fallen asleep in Jazzy's arms.

Jazzy was feeling better for all this trucking through the dead woods. Maybe it was the balancing of his powers, maybe it was just his powers returning to him, he didn't know. But he noticed that his shirt was dark blue again, and his head wasn't buzzing as much.

"You're looking better," James said to him, while dodging another scattering of branches.

"Aye," he said in his worst Scotty imitation, "da power's comin' bach, Cap'tin... Maybe we should'a try ta fly out'a here now?"

James smiled at the Trek inference. "No, I don't think we should... Look..."

Jazzy followed James' pointing towards the tops of the trees. The occasional red streak would pass by.

"Nuts..." Jazzy said. He watched a few more streaks. "Odd they seem to be in a hurry... 'Think they'll stay up there?"

James shrugged. "Don't know... maybe they don't think there's anything down here worth eating..."

"There's a wonderful thought!" Jazzy said.

Just then, a large branch passed through James. He looked at it on the ground.

"Sometimes, there are some serious benefits to being a spirit!" he said. "Come on..."

More trudging through the woods followed.

"How is she doing?" James asked, deflecting stray falling branches with a psychic push.

Jazzy checked on his little bundle. He removed a small blackened twig that had fallen on her forehead. "Still asleep."

"How old do you think she is?"

Jazzy shrugged. "Four, maybe five... Humph... You know she hid us all for three days in her bedroom?"

James gave a slight laugh. "Four spirits in a little girl's bedroom for three days! That must have been a sight!"

"You don't know the half of it!" Jazzy said, adjusting her a bit to keep her comfortable. "Then there was that brother of hers. What a pest! He nearly saw us twice... The last time, I think he saw Arcanine. Dragged his father up to show him too, but we managed to get Archy stuffed into her Growlith doll she had over her bed. Was her idea, too... hummph..."

"What?"

Jazzy looked at James. "You know, with all these spirits she's been around these last few days, I hope she doesn't start saying 'I see dead people'."

James blinked. Then burst out laughing.

They continued their walk.

"Hey, what's that?" Jazzy said, hearing a low buzzing sound. He and James moved towards a clearing they had been following for some time now. As they cleared the edge, what they saw gave them reason to fear.

The buzzing was a strip wave. But unlike other strip waves, which are hard and fast, this one was slowly churning over the forest on the other side of the clearing. Huge green trees turned a sickly black as their energy was siphoned out, stored within the red undulating mass as it passed over them. Creatures caught within the boundaries of the woods could be seen fleeing, some unsuccessfully. They watched as a Pidgeoto, blackened in flight, leaped the tree line and shattered across the clearing's floor.

Then another event happened. The wave began to swell and rise. Bolts of energy struck the ground nearby. They looked up and saw why.

PK was unaware of the incoming Haunters from above as he continued to pump lightning swords into the hordes below. The first few ghosts bounced off his shielding. But they had done what they needed to do - drain the shield's energy.

Then the mass struck.

A spark flash behind PK's eye. He felt as if he had been thrown into a vat of cold molasses. His world turned red. His energy fled him. He knew he was hit. He just didn't know how bad.

Jazzy handed Tina to a shocked James. Then he took off, rocketing towards the en massed ghosts.

"Jazzy!? JAZZY!! NO!!!" James yelled. Tina blinked awake and screamed.

Jazzy felt his energy return. It swelled in his soul and raided his being. He reared back and drew a breath, charging every molecule in his body.

"PSYCHIC WAVE!" he shouted, discharging a force wall of energy that swept across the red ghosts.

James had moved Tina and himself behind a stump. He watched as Jazzy's wave proceeded through the ghosts.

"It's too wide, Jazzy!" he mumbled, his eyes not wavering from their subject. He started quoting Sabrina's teachings. "Focus it... focus!"

The field passed over the mass surrounding PK. Many ghosts evaporated, their stored energy releasing into the atmosphere. PK fell out from the center of the vanishing swell.

"Pikachu..." rang through his head.

"Go away... I'm tired..."

"No excuse..." the voice said to him. "Remember your mission..."

"Remember my mission?"

"Remember your mission..." the voice flatly said.

"Go away... I'm tired..."

"PIKACHUUU!!!" the voice shouted. "Feathers and beaks son, I'm not getting any younger here!"

"Aero?" PK said, suddenly awake. "Aero, where are you? I thought the Haunters got you back on Scissors Street..."

"They did..." the voice said. "You know they did."

"But, how..." PK asked then remembered. "The wing!"

"Exactly," the voice said.

Back during the scouting battle of Scissors Street, PK had seen the results of Aero's sacrifice, his left battle wing clattering to the ground after the ghost that had absorbed it had been rendered by Bill's capture machine.

"If you had been destroyed, the wing would have disappeared!" PK said to himself.

"Thanks to that contraption of Bill's," the voice said. "As you know, as long as just a piece of us survives, an angel will survive. Now get your yellow tail in gear, son! You've got WORK to do!"

PK grasped his sword and held it in front of himself.

"Energy RETURN!" he yelled.

The wisps of energy above him flowed into the sword, then into himself. Renewed, he turned and looked below himself. There, he saw his rescuer in need of rescue.

James looked at Tina, who was sobbing into his pant's leg.

"Tina, I have to help Jazzy..." he said to her. He sat her behind the stump. "Now, you be a good girl, and stay right here, okay?"

She nodded a sad nod. James stood up before the look she was giving him got to him. He jumped into the air.

He saw Jazzy just above the gurgling mass of ghosts below, the strip wave ascending to meet him, draining the freshly returned energy he had acquired. The ghosts weren't at all happy at him helping the angel, and they were determined to make him pay!

"Right!" James yelled. "Here's one that MewTwo reminded me about! GASSYBALLS! GO!"

James waived his arms, and a sub-space shunt opened. Thousands of GassyBalls flew out and attacked the red mass.

Then he reached to his own belt and pulled a yellow PokéBall with the letters E-E-A-4 across it. He pressed a button on the back of the unit. A strobe on top of the ball started to flash.

"Warning..." a Dexter-like voice said from the ball, "this unit has been armed. To disarm, press the activation button twice. Once tossed, this PokéBall will capture its target then activate its escape rocket. Once activated, the rocket will fire for 5 seconds. This unit is designed for outdoor use only. Thank you for using another fine OakLabs® product!"

James watched for an opening then tossed the ball at Jazzy. Jazzy, for his part, was struggling to avoid the ghosts to notice the sudden PokéBall activity around him, but that strobe on the yellow one caught his attention.

"Aw, James, you DIDN'T!" he yelled, suddenly feeling the yank of the beam emitter. "JAAAAAAAMMMMES!"

SHHHHHHLOOOP!

WHOOOSH! The rocket fired. Tina watched as the PokéBall crackled through the branches of the trees behind her. She ran back into the woods to find it.

James opened two more sub-space shunts, and released another pair of volleys of GassyBalls at the ghosts. The bicycle-horn shaped balls danced across the hordes, absorbing ghost after ghost, sometimes more than one per ball, seeing that someone had conveniently forgot to set the safeties on the devices.

James then readied for his finale. He reared back and started his chant.

"AhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he yelled, energy flowing into his body from all around.

A quick glance to his side, and James saw PK beside him, eye shut, a scowl running across his face. He ran his gauntlet along the face of his blade, as he held it flat to his nose. James could see him fog its surface with his breath, as he concentrated.

"AH!" James yelled, a massive orb of energy forming before him. But then he saw down below him PK's blade to his sword being inserted into the energy.

"FLAREON'S FIRE!" PK shouted, adding his own power to James' energy. The blue-white orb turned an orange-red color, and erupted wide and far reaching. He then opened his eye, and the mass of energy flew into the remaining ghosts.

"Come on!" PK said to James. "All that heat isn't going to do those GassyBalls any good!" They flew into the wood James and Jazzy had been trekking through.

First it was just small popping and cracklings, as GassyBalls burst within the firestorm dropped on them. As ghosts burst and vaporized with the heat, so did GassyBalls, some with multiple ghosts within them, more violently than others. But then multiple balls would explode, causing others to follow. Finally, the first group of GassyBalls, that had gathered in small piles throughout the wood erupted in a massive detonation.

The blasts and shockwaves sent out by them were causing the woods around James and PK to snap and shatter all over.

"TINA!" James shouted, as he saw that the little girl wasn't where he had left her by the stump.

"I bet she went after that E-E-Ball you slapped Jazzy into!" PK said, forming a shield over top them. "Come on, it went this way!" They flew into the wood deeper.

"Tina! Tina! Where are you?" James yelled over and over again.

"James! Shh!" PK said, listening hard. The noise of the destruction they left behind, and the rain of branches and trees all around was making it hard enough to discern anything, but he managed to hear one thing. A high pitched piezo speaker, part of the locator beacon on the E-E-Ball. They headed in its direction.

"Tina!" James yelled again.

"James!" a frightened voice could just be heard to cry back. As they got closer to the piezo, the cry could be heard clearer.

"Tina!" James yelled once again as the piezo shrilled louder.

"Here!' she cried back. Finally, a flash from the ball's strobe caught their eyes. The E-E-Ball had impaled itself into the dead bark of a large pine. At its base, protected by a slight notch in the tree was Tina, crying and scared. James landed and gathered the child up, soothing her as best he could. PK took the point of his sword, and pried the ball from the bark. He watched the pair below calming each other as he kept his shield up. He pressed the release button on the E-E-Ball, depositing Jazzy next to the tree.

"Ow..." he said then fell to the ground.

"Ummm..." PK said, looking into the ball's service port. "Inertial dampers weren't turned on..."

"Ow..." Jazzy said from the ground.

"Oh, come on... you're a spirit! You can't be hurt that way!"

"I was a mass of energy... Ow..."

"Pikachu, what do we do now?" James said, looking up from Tina.

"We leave," PK said. "I feel we've missed Black Lugia."

"How? Did it gain enough energy to transfer itself?"

PK shook his head. "I think it went back for the conduit. If it did, we will be needed at the other end of the vortex."

"And that is?" Jazzy asked, managing to pull himself up enough to look at the floating mouse, his face covered in soot.

"The Stratus League... we think," PK said, in a not-quiet sure voice.

"What about..." James started, looking down at Tina, then back at PK.

PK looked up, as if listening to something. He gave a little nod then looked down on James.

"You have been granted enough power to transport her with yourself to the Stratus or Level Prime," he said.

"Excuse me?" Jazzy said. "Granted?"

PK nodded. "In special cases, energy may be redirected so that a special deed may be done. I have requested, and been granted this special dispensation." PK started to float away.

"Dispensation?" Jazzy continued to press. "From who?"

PK stopped, and hovered. He looked over his wing at Jazzy.

"My boss, of course."

"Pikachu, wait," James said. "What about... what about her family, relatives?" James had made sure to time her out for that question.

PK dropped his head. "All gone..." He looked back to see if James had timed her out. Seeing that he had, he continued. "I am told that her only relatives were in Viridian... the town has suffered a major hit, and not much is left. She is alone."

PK continued to float away. A sub-space field opened, and PK entered it.

James looked down on Tina, his touch releasing her from the time-jump. "Come on, honey... we're going on a trip..."

"Where?" she asked.

"Hopefully, somewhere nice..." James answered. He looked at Jazzy, then knitted his brow and vanished. Jazzy shook his head, and then followed the pair into sub-space.

-----------------------------

"T-Minus-5 hours until bomb run."

Strom looked at his computer's readouts.

"S.A.M., I do think you get your jollies out of things like this..." he said to the machine.

"Jollies?" it answered back. "Slang... root, Jolly - adjective, merry, festive..."

Strom turned off the speaker.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers, GENUINE DOORKNOB ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission  
"It's the End of the World as we Know It (And I Feel Fine)" ©1988 R.E.M/Capitol/EMI

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	17. Archangel Part 2 Sacrifice

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Seventeen **

**¤ A ¤ R ¤ C ¤ H ¤ A ¤ N ¤ G ¤ E ¤ L ¤**

**Part Two **

**Sacrifice **

**By R. A. Stott**

**_Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
with references to  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall,  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy,  
and  
"Team Rocket: Terminal Solutions" by Steve Brunton_**

"T-Minus-5 hours," the computer in Brock's wall chimed. He looked out his window at the commotion that was overrunning the League's floor. He could see Kinza, who had just ordered a Red Alert, running for a pair of Skat Backs parked near the hanger bays. He turned and looked behind himself. There, the spirit Sabrina Natsumi sat, late president of the League. She had a sweater draped over her shoulders, and a cup of hot sake in her hands. Brock remembered how the hot sake would calm her during the late days of their marriage.

The trouble was, hot sake doesn't do spirits any good. Gallons could be poured into her, and nothing would have happened. Brock wished that hopefully, she wouldn't remember that fact.

"I should have told him..." she muttered. "I should have told him... It's all my fault..."

"Nobody blames you," Joy said to her, comforting her as best she could.

"You don't understand... none of you could understand... It's happening again, just like the last time... History's daggers... history's daggers..."

Brock scowled. "Look out this window, Natsumi... Tell me what's happening... You and I share the same time-line... I should know what's about to happen, but I don't. Why is that?"

She shook her head. "I can't say... I'm under orders..."

Brock turned red. "ORDERS!? Who's orders?"

"Yours..." she said.

Brock looked at the floor. "Great..."

Natsumi looked out the window, a blank stare on her face. "Myamoto will be first..." she said quietly.

Brock's jaw dropped. He reached for a microphone, but Natsumi stopped him.

"Don't... if you pull everyone off the tarmac, the League will fall, and those you think you're saving as well..."

Brock looked out the window, slamming the mic down on the window sill. Above the League was the swirling vortex of a conduit.

"What if I drop the League?"

She shook her head. "The conduit would follow."

This time, Brock pounded the window.

"What is that?" he heard Natsumi say. He looked over at her, and she was pointing down at something on the wide spreading courtyard. He followed the point to a small white floating object. Someone was running towards it carrying a pair of cases in his hands, and a larger package on his back.

Brock snatched his binoculars from his old backpack he kept hanging in his office and spied down. The running figure was Robert North, the lab chief of Tech Lab 1. An odd thing was, he was also wearing thermal gloves.

"Meowth! Meowth!" North yelled at the floating spirit of the Pokémon. "They're finished!

"Great!" the cat said, landing next to North, watching him remove his bundles.

"Now, they're still hot, but you shouldn't feel a thing..."

"I t'ink I can get used ta bein' a spook if I don't gotta feel da heat no more's!" Meowth smiled.

North snapped open the first case, and heat poured out. He removed the contents, and placed it on the ground in front of the cat. He turned it over to see the letter imprinted on the bottom.

"Right foot," he told the feline.

Meowth stuck his right undresses foot into the armored shoe. "Oooh! Warm and toasty!" he said, as contacts snapped the unit in place. North was busy putting the left one down. Meowth snapped that one on.

North pulled the package open. First, he pulled a transparent faceplate out, and inserted it in place over Meowth's helmet. "Feel okay?" he asked. Meowth nodded.

"Okay, now the goodie..."

"Oh goodie!" Meowth said. "I get a goodie!"

North pressed a button on the final box-like bundle. A pair of barrel shaped pods popped out of the package, with a pair of long handles leading to both, the assembly attached to one another by a box between them. North lifted the device, tucked the handles under Meowth's arms, and secured the unit to Meowth's back.

"I don't remember any of that..." Natsumi said. Brock looked at her like she just said she was on fire. He found her clutching her mouth, eyes swelling with tears. "Myamoto!" she whispered.

Brock grabbed the microphone again. "Myamo... Hello? Hello?"

Nothing... Slamming the mic before broke it.

As he turned to look at Natsumi, he saw the kinetic energy of her vanishing.

High above, a torrent of flame was descending from the conduit. Jesse, Myamoto and young Sabrina stood transfixed as they watched the sudden burst appear. Energy orbs suddenly surrounded them, but Sabrina's burst as soon as it formed. Jesse and Myamoto were tossed away.

Sabrina started to run, but too late. She was bound to be scorched. But she found herself also being tossed to one side suddenly by a white streak who took her place below the flames!

"FREEZE DRY!" the white armored cat yelled, a paw pointing skywards. A burst of ice and wind flew to greet the flames and heat. Steam and billowing smoke formed a false cloud within the Stratus League's energy field.

Above, Black Lugia erupted from the vortex, followed by Red Ghosts.

But, as its tail exited the vortex, the conduit finally had done its work, and it vanished. Black Lugia turned in shock. Most of its ghosts had not made it through!

"Witch!" it screamed. "Where are you! I will devour you again! You will power my escape from this prison you have put me in!"

"You's and what army, ugly?" the armored cat said, taking flight towards the behemoth.

Black Lugia sneered at the comic creature below. "My army... and my powers... Supersonic... huh?"

Black Lugia was surprised to see the Goldeen's horn on its head shrink then vanish, its energy spent.

The moment's hesitation gave Meowth the chance he was looking for with his new toys. The barrel units on his back charged, and plasma bolts launched. The first one struck Black Lugia's tail, the second missed. But just striking his tail was enough...

...enough to enrage the beast.

"Ghost! Dispose of this creature!" it bellowed.

Meowth hovered and grinned. "Oh, I hope North's right..." he mumbled to himself. Then he saw the swell of ghosts approaching him.

The first one bounced off the armor. Then a second. Then, in a strip-wave attack, they thrust into Meowth. All bounced off. Confused, the ghosts surrounded the floating cat.

"Hello boys!" the Meowth sneered. "Like my new ceramic armor? GASSYBALLS! GO!"

Meowth jumped up from the middle of the ghost crowd. A sub-space shunt opened, and GassyBalls flew out, zapping and eating Red Ghosts everywhere.

Black Lugia had about all he could stand of this pest. And it had enough stored energy from the Pikachu's it had devoured earlier to take care of it.

BIVVVVVVVVVVVFVOOOSH!

Meowth nearly was struck, but a back-flip avoided the first burst of terawattage. He found himself above the Lugia.

"Now here's one I always wanted ta do!" he yelled. "PAY DAY!"

Coins, tokens, charms, even the new Sacagawea Dollars, flew into Black Lugia's face, pelting the beast with hard currency. As it shook off the burst of money, it heard Meowth's laughing cackle below, as he dashed away.

"VERRRMIN!" it shrieked, and followed the cat.

Jesse stood and gaped at the battle above. Meowth! Of all the spirits around, it was lowly Meowth that was doing the best against the evil creature!

"Spirits! To me!" she heard behind her. Jesse turned to see her friend Sabrina, but the older one she saw before in the earlier conduit.

"Spirits... the Meowth has the right idea. Even if it means the destruction of the Stratus... We must wear Black Lugia down until PK can get here."

Jesse looked at her with an incredulous expression. "Why do we have to wait for him? We should be able to defeat this Lugia..."

Natsumi shook her head. "No... It will soon become evident to you why... When Black Lugia looses enough energy, it will switch from depending on the ghosts to supply it, to direct input... that means, soon, any energy we launch at it will be absorbed."

"Great," a voice from behind her said. Jazzy and James walked up, James still carrying his bundle of Tina. "Anyone got a really big PokéBall?" Jazzy cracked.

Jesse looked at the child in James' hands. "You brought the child?" she asked. She fell silent at the stern look on James' face. She had never seen a look like that on him before. That was the wrong question to ask...

"Where's PK?" Sabrina asked, joining the group, and seeing her elder self in person for the first time.

Jazzy pointed up, just as PK flashed by, following the sounds of the battle beyond.

"Look at that!" Myamoto said, pointing at the sky above.

The remaining ghosts started to dive for the buildings below. Kinza's Skat Back could be seen dashing though them, shields flashing as ghosts vaporized against them. But one lone Skat Back wasn't going to do much against the spread of ghosts before it.

"League Headquarters! League Headquarters! Evacuate! Transmat all delegates! Emergency evac NOW!" Kinza barked into his com unit.

"Transmats unavailable," a computerized voice said. "Building shields have been activated."

"The Stratus shield are not set for these types of ghosts!" Kinza yelped. "Deactivate shields and reactivate transmats! Orders Elb Kinza - 27439AB12!"

"Orders received... Elb - Lieutenant - Kinza... - 27439AB12... deactivate shields, reactivate transmats..."

A long silence followed. Only the occasional bursting of a ghost off his shield was heard by Kinza.

"Well?" he finally asked the computer.

"Please state the nature of your order..." it answered.

"EMERGENCY EVAC, NOW!" he screamed.

Kinza watched as the ghosts entered the dome of the main council chamber, as the computer said, "Message understood. Transmat in progress... In the future, please do not yell orders at this..." Kinza slammed the com unit off. He knew it was too late for some below. Blasted computers!

The transmats hummed and sorted. All life forms in its files were to be evacced, which meant, much to her surprise, Sabrina.

"Hey! Wait! Hold it!" she yelled as she vanished in a sparkling shimmer.

Then, so did Tina from James' arms. He didn't struggle. He knew what was happening, and it probably was for the best. He closed his arms over the now vacant space. He walked through the group.

"Come on..." he said in a deep, angry voice. "We've got ghosts to hunt." He headed for the buildings.

Meowth peeked around a building. Black Lugia was looking about, trying to find the small white fury inducing creature that had pestered him.

Meowth jumped out from behind the wall, and send several salvos at the beast. Many struck its mark, as he flew away again. This game of hit and run had been the plan all along, as he knew that cannons weren't enough to destroy the Lugia, and they only had a limited life capacity. The trick was to just keep the Black Lugia busy until...

BIVVVVVVRROOOSH!!

Another terawatt burst singed the air around Meowth. Somehow he had managed once again to avoid the burst, but this time, with help.

PK released his grip on the ceramic plating and turned to face the monster behind them.

"Nice armor there Meowth!" he said, not taking his eyes off the Lugia.

"Yer threads are rather chic as well, mouse!" the cat grinned back. "What now?"

"You die..." the horror before them said, charging another attack.

"Already there, kiddo!" Meowth yelped.

PK glanced down at the floating cat. "I'll ask later..." he said, not realizing that it was the feline's spirit he had saved. "THUNDER SHIELD!"

Black Lugia's energy salvo missed either of the floating Pokémon, and PK's shield went for naught. But Black Lugia smiled anyway.

PK looked behind them. The Lugia had obviously been targeting something else. And he saw it.

The energy struck the side of a building towards the rear of the complex. Lights flashed. The sky blinked. Then if felt as if the world dropped out from under them.

Kinza found himself holding the nose of his Skat Back skyward, thrusters pushing against the sudden gravity pull. Yet he himself was nearly floating out of his seat!

"The League's dropping! Nuts!"

-----------------------------

The night was cool in the Pennsylvania Dutch community near Cocalico. Nearby, on an island in the middle of a large creek, a large gathering stood and looked about, having just been deposited there by the emergency transmat system of the Stratus League.

Brock and Joy looked down at the stream. "Shame I didn't bring my fishing pole..." Brock said. Joy punched him in the shoulder.

Sabrina looked about the delegates. She was a bit miffed at being shunted off the playing surface before she was able to do any good. She soon heard crying, something she thought was out of place among the delegates. She headed for the sound.

"Tina!" she said, finding the small girl being comforted by Chief Jenny.

"Sabrina... Do you know who this little girl belongs to?" the chief asked as the psychic bent down to ease the girl's cries.

"Rescued from Level 4.6, ma'am..." she answered.

"Oh my..." Jenny said quietly then looked about. "Well, when Kinza puts an order up, he gets results!"

Sabrina nodded. "Yes, but that stupid computer! I'm needed THERE! Not here!"

Jenny looked about. "Kinza's not here..."

"The transmat couldn't get him... he was flying a Skat Back with shields up..." Sabrina looked down at the child, now quietly looking up at her.

"I must be going back, Tina... will you be brave for me?"

The little girl closed her mouth tightly and nodded her head.

"You be a strong little girl, and stay with Chief Jenny, okay?" Sabrina said with a smile. She stood up, and readied to transfer back to the Stratus.

"Sabrina..." a voice said in her head. "Sabrina, come to the Lavender Tower... you will be needed there..."

Sabrina stood still for a moment, thinking about the request. Then she felt the incoming wave of energy that was about to strike nearby and knew the voice was right.

"Jenny, we are about to get a large visitor..." she told the chief officer. "Get everyone into the bunkers. The Stratus is dropping!"

Jenny looked at her with considerable worry. "Can you help me?"

Sabrina shook her head no. "I'm needed elsewhere... the control box for the emergency bunkers is over there..." she said pointing at a tree nearby.

Jenny smiled. "I understand... go..."

"I'll help," a delegate volunteered. "Go, Miss Natsumi."

She nodded thanks to the delegate, lifted off the ground, then flashed away in a burst of kinetic energy. Brock saw the flash off to his side.

"I wonder where she's off to now?" he said. But before he could ask any more, the ground rumbled below his feet, and the sky to his east swirled.

"Oh no!" he said. "The Stratus League's dropping!"

Jenny popped open a hidden hatch on the fake tree and keyed in a personal code. Hatches popped up from the ground in multiple locations around the island.

"Everyone into the shelters! NOW!" she yelled. Tina clutched her leg and began to cry quietly again.

Streamer of light started to strike the ground across the banks from them. Brock had never seen the re-entry of the Stratus from this end before, and didn't know if this was the way it was suppose to work. He wasn't sure, but he also had little time to wonder about it, as the buildings and all with them thundered to the ground. A Skat Back suddenly shot skywards as the League settled into normal space, and gravity resumed its normal pace.

The Stratus League was on Level Prime.

So was Black Lugia.

-----------------------------

Sabrina appeared at the tower, and saw an awesome sight. Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos, perched on three standing stones in front of the tower. High above, Lugia, THAT level's Lugia, sat resting on the tower's peak.

"I am glad you heard my heed," M2 said to Sabrina. "The time is short... Black Lugia is here."

"Yes... I felt his coming," she said to the MewTwo. "Are things here ready?"

M2 nodded. "We are as ready as we can be... how about yourself?"

Sabrina looked down. Feelings she had stored away for the duration of this battle were swelling up, nearly out of control. The sight of Tina crying on the island didn't help anything. Seeing her older self, and nearly mind locking... she was feeling exhausted.

"Where is Ash?" she asked.

"Waiting for you... behind the tower by the training center..." he said.

She started towards the rear. "Be careful," M2 said. "Don't let your emotions dictate your actions now..."

She looked at the Pokémon. She smiled. "Emotions are about all I have right now..." She turned and continued on.

M2 looked at the ground at his feet. "Yes, but these emotions will only bring you pain," he said to himself.

"My brother speaks the truth, psychic," MewTwo said from the doorway of the tower as she passed. She glanced at him and smiled, then continued on. He shook his head and walked over to his 'brother'.

"What about our problem?" he asked M2.

M2 looked at MewTwo. "I haven't a clue..." He then looked back at the tower. Inside, his Mew whimpered slightly in Rose's lap.

Sabrina found the group Ash had assembled gathered around the bonfire, telling Pokémon stories.

"Sabrina!" Ash said, standing up to greet the visitor to the group. "What's the situation?"

"Black Lugia is here," she said, her eyes avoiding his stare. "We nearly lost Level 4.6..."

"What happened to Level 5?" Misty asked. Sabrina looked at her as if she had asked 'Why didn't you personally stop Black Lugia?'

"Level 5 was passed over... 'Overshoot' PK called it. Someone forgot to find out if the level had a Lugia on it... it doesn't..."

"Communications have been rather faulty lately," Blaine said. "Have we lost anyone?"

Sabrina shook her head. "We lost Bucky... nearly lost Arcanine... I don't know about the Skat Back pilots..."

"Bucky?" a voice from the rear said.

Sabrina looked down. She had forgotten about Pink Lady being there. With the children asleep, she was outside enjoying the banter of the group. Sabrina dropped to her knees as the Pikachu walked up to her.

"He went out a fighter, ma'am..." she said to her.

Pink Lady closed her eyes and smiled. "I knew he would... he was a fighter all the way..." She then looked up at Sabrina, her pink eyes swelling with pride and tears. "As long as he did good..." she said.

Sabrina picked the Pikachu up and hugged her. Both sobbed quietly.

-----------------------------

The dust had hardly settled at the landing site.

"GHOSTS! TO ME!" Black Lugia yelled.

The landing had caused PK and Meowth to be tossed to the ground. A crunching sound came from the armor around Meowth.

"Uh oh... I sure hope dis t'ing was under warranty!" he said, standing up, showing his exposed belly.

PK examined the damage. "You're no good this way... try to get to Tech Lab 1... see if North can fix you up. Hurry!"

Meowth nodded. "I'm out'a here's!" he said, blinking out.

PK cocked his head. "Sure learned fast!" he said to himself. He then felt around, searching for the Black Evil nearby.

The Black Evil turned its head southwest. "Lugia!" it said "I sense it!" It then turned to its gathering of red ghosts.

"MULTI-FORM," it commanded.

The ghosts split and divided.

"We are in need of energy," Black Lugia told its minions. "Locate the highest amount of multiple life-form energies first... preferably Pokémon... But leave the Lugia to me...go!"

The ghosts split up and headed out.

Black Lugia then searched for a quick energy source. It found it in the front of the League. A pile of GassyBalls, collected from Meowth's first attack. It landed, then started to devour the balls whole.

"That's one way to get your vitamins!" PK said from above the beast.

Black Lugia said nothing - just as well with a full mouth - it simply turned to face PK, and fired a terawatt at him. PK's shield deflected the shot, but it tossed him away as well.

Black Lugia gathered as many GassyBalls it could, then took flight. It headed in the direction it knew it had to go.

-----------------------------

The Skat Back finally came under control near the moon. Kinza swung it about, sending it back towards the planet.

"T-Minus-2 hours 45 minutes... MARK!" the on-board computer chirped.

"I'm hoofing it! I'm hoofing it!" he barked at the machine.

The computer chimed again. "Emergency Situation at League Headquarters... Power core critical."

For a moment, Kinza considered turning about and flying away.

Damn his feelings of duty! He doubled his shields and flew in hot.

-----------------------------

Jesse peeked through a wall. She could feel the ghosts that were still there. She just couldn't see them. This was worse than the practice sessions in the tower. There was at least a little light in there, even at night. This place, the darkened amphitheater of the Stratus League, had no windows, and only a few emergency lights glowing feebly.

James sensed about, feeling with one hand, holding a GassyBall in the other.

SHHHHHLLOOP!

James looked back. In the dim light of an emergency exit sign, he saw Jazzy tossing a full GassyBall aside.

Jesse thought a moment, having watched where Jazzy found his latest capture. Then she fell back on some early lessons Sabrina had taught her. She reached into a nearby wall, and pinched a Haunter. She dragged it out.

"James!" she said, bouncing the Red Haunter like a ball. "Think fast!"

James held the GassyBall out for his wife's toss, and slurped up the ghost. "2 points!" he said, pulling a new ball out of sub-space.

Suddenly, the foundations shook. The ghosts that were hiding came out and massed in the middle of the cavernous center. The red glow they emitted finally allowed the spirits to see the amphitheater better. There were some forms of those unable to escape the ghost's initial attack visible now.

Once again, the foundation shook.

Natsumi enter the hall from through the wall. "We've got a problem folks!" she said.

"You mean something other than that massing of ghosts in front of us?" Jazzy said, pointing at the red blob forming center stage.

"Oh yes... that shaking we're having... that's the power center. It's didn't like being shot by Black Lugia..."

The amphitheater shook again. The ghosts started to stir in an agitated mood.

"I hate to ask, but what was the power source for the League?" Jesse asked.

Natsumi rubbed her neck. "Well... Anti-Matter... a one ton block suspended in a containment vessel.

James stood with his mouth open. Jazzy ran his hand through his hair nervously.

Jesse planted her fists into her hips and looked at her friend. "Sabi... weren't you the one complaining to Kinza about HIS ships using that stuff?"

Natsumi remembered long ago as her younger self and the argument she had with Kinza on Level 4.6 about the Skat Back's power source, and how it could be a worse threat than the Black Lugia.

"I'd hate to think what a detonation of a lump that size would be like..." Jesse added.

"You wouldn't know it," Kinza said, entering the amphitheater. "1 ounce of Anti-Matter is enough to rip the atmosphere away. A ton would leave a dead zone in space roughly 10 light-years round." Kinza looked at the spirit Sabrina Natsumi. "You should have known this..."

She shook her head, almost nervously. "This is different... when the Meowth attacked Black Lugia, everything changed. It's no longer following the time-lines I remember."

"Lines? Plural?" Jazzy asked.

Kinza pulled a scanning rod out. "Quite possible for her. She's sensitive to these things..."

"BEEP!" his com unit chirped. "T-Minus-2 hours until bomb run..."

"B-BOMB RUN!?" James yelped. "What bomb run?"

"That doesn't matter right now..." Kinza said, reading the scans. "We've got less than 5 minutes to a core breech... What is Myamoto doing in the reactor room?"

Jesse looked at the rod's end that Kinza was looking at and only saw a small scrambled round screen. "How can you tell?"

"You've got to know how to read these things," Kinza said. "She's bounding about too... I wonder if there's a ghost in there?"

"That would be strange, looking at the reaction we're getting from these ghosts out here," Jazzy said, watching the red blob throb. "They seem to know what's going on."

"Come on..." Kinza said, quickly exiting the amphitheater, heading towards the rear of the complex, the others close behind.

-----------------------------

"Mew?"

Rose was startled awake by the Mew in her lap jumping up. It floated over her, nervously looking back and forth.

"What is it Mew?" she asked.

The Mew looked down at her with sad eyes. It darted down, and rubbed heads with Rose, then sped out the door.

"No Mew... No..." Rose whispered.

Mew flew to the rooftop perch of the Lugia, and took her position beside the sleeping creature.

"Is there something bothering you, Mew of Level 14?"

Mew turned and looked behind her. A large eye was looking back at her.

"Mew..." she said.

"Ah... you blame yourself for Black Lugia, do you..." Lugia said. "Please... explain..."

"Mew...me me meew..."

Lugia raised his head and looked north of the tower. "You are correct... he is here... I feel his evil." He turned and looked below him. The group at the bonfire was setting up and readying. The time had come.

"Ash?" Sabrina asked the young man that she had met for the first time years ago as a boy. He came over to her as the rest prepared. Misty noticed. She kept working, but also kept an eye on Sabrina.

"Yes?" Ash asked.

"Ash... I want... I want to thank you... I never really had the chance to do so back when we first met... You headed out on your Pokémon Trainings as soon as you got your badge..."

"Hey... it was a battle to remember," he said. "That's why I asked for your help on this..."

She smiled, and glanced over at Misty. "She's become very pretty... just like her sisters..."

Ash looked back at Misty and smiled. He had felt a need to find Misty even before seeing what she had become... maybe he just needed a good thwacking from time to time. He did miss her when she was gone from his life.

"She means a great deal to me now..." he said.

"I know," Sabrina said, looking at the ground. "I just wanted you to know... I am forever in your debt... for bringing me to my senses... for reminding me what it is to be human."

Then she kissed him.

"I will always love you, Ash Ketchum..." she said, then walked away. She jumped into the air, and teleported away.

Misty came over to Ash. The look on his face was... pathetic...

"That's my Ash..." she said, pulling his hat down over his eyes.

"ASH!" Lugia bellowed from above. "TO MY BACK SON!"

Ash woke up from that particular moment. Charizard leaned down and let him climb on his back. They then flew to the roof of the tower, where Ash transferred to Lugia's back. He turned his cap around, and pulled a pair of goggles from his belt. He then grabbed a long pole with a pair of charged probes on one end, a spike on the other.

"ASH!"

He looked down at the base camp. Professor Oak was yelling from the Science trailer.

"ASH! The other Mew is gone! - OUR Mew!"

Ash looked down at the Professor and sighed. "Any ideas?"

Oak shrugged.

"Tech Lab 1 to Lavender Base... Tech Lab 1 to Lavender Base..." the radio crackled over the PA system. "We are under attack by red ghosts! Repeat, we are under attack!"

Ash sighed again. "Big time," he said to himself. "We are in it big time!"

He put on his goggles and waited.

He saw the other Mew beside him fiddling nervously with its Doorknob.

Mew's nervous...

Maybe he should be too...

But strangely, at that moment he had two ladies on his mind.

-----------------------------

"FEUGO, IGNITE!"

Ayako watched her Flareon power up before her. Behind her, the rest of the Golden R did the same with their Pokémon. She looked up at the building she was to protect, Team Rocket's Headquarters, AKA - Silph Company. It was now covered in ceramic tiles, a patchwork look created by transmats. Below the roofline, a transparent section of ceramic allowed the windows to be seen. Giovanni was standing there, watching the Golden R prepare for the battle. She felt a twinge ill at the thought of protecting him as well.

Below him in another window was North. He smiled at her and bid her on to the next order.

"Okay people! Here's where we find out just how well you work with your Pokémon! SHARED POWERS!"

Ayako burst into her pyro mode, as did four others in the group. Four more gained strong psychic powers. Three spat venom and grew scales. And two grew fins and shimmered as if made of water. Giovanni stepped back, surprised at the powers the Golden R suddenly seemed to have. Ayako smiled at the sight of him, and felt a wave of pride run through her. But when she looked below him, North was no longer there.

"GOLDEN R, ATTENTION!"

Ayako turned to see where the voice had come from, and was greeted by a flicker of flames and feathers.

"M-Moltres!?" she said, snapping to attention.

Sure enough, a fiery bird was floating before her and the troops.

Giovanni picked up a microphone. "Moltres, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be with the group over at the tower!"

The bird looked up at Giovanni. "I am not THE Moltres, I am A Moltres... I am your Leader of the Golden R you've always wanted to talk to, Boss!"

"The leader of the Golden R is a POKÉMON!?"

"I am not a Moltres in my day-job, Boss!" the bird said with a smirk.

It then turned its attention to the troops. "RIGHT! We are here to protect this building from the incoming red ghosts. WE WILL BE VIGILANT! I expect you all to be true to the meaning of the Golden R! We WILL be victorious! RIGHT!?"

"RIGHT, SIR!"

"WHAT ARE WE?!"

"GOLDEN R, SIR!"

"WHAT ARE WE?!"

"THE BEST OF THE BEST, SIR!"

"WHAT DO WE DO?!"

"DO THE DANGEROUS AND RULE THE DAY!"

"Okay, prepare for trouble!" the bird finished.

"RIGHT!" Ayako said, turning to the troops. "You have your assignments! GO! GO! GO!"

"YES SIR!" they all barked back, then scattered to their assigned locations.

Ayako turned back to the bird. "North, is that you?"

The Moltres smiled. "And who else would I be?" he said with a wink.

"How..." she started.

He stopped her. "It's a long story and now isn't the time..."

She giggled. "I like the glasses..."

The Moltres crossed his eyes to look at the tiny pair of glasses on its beak. "Yea, it's the only part that won't transform... must be the metals..." He shook his head to relieve the eye strain. "Who's leading the flanks?" he asked.

"I've got Hikaru on the right flank and Hayao on the left," she reported.

The Moltres nodded. "Hikaru is okay on the right, but I think Hayao could be trouble... You take the left flank."

She gave the bird a bothered look. "But I was going to defend the main entrance!"

The Moltres spread his wings wide. "Let's see a ghost get through me!" he said.

"Okay..." she said, a bit put out.

"Hey," North said, "just stay close."

"We'll be nearby if needed," Fuego said.

"As will I," the bird said, folding its wings. "And YOU," he said to the fiery beast before him, "remember to keep your powers up, less she looses hers!"

"Don't worry, I'll remember!" he said, trotting off to his location, leaving burning foot prints behind himself.

"I'm gonna have to make asbestos booties for him!" North said, watching the trail of fire behind Fuego.

"You take care," Ayako said to the bird.

"You too... Station!"

She smiled. "Lifting fire," she said, lifting off the ground, placing a kiss on the bill of the bird, then following Fuego.

The Moltres watched his second take her position, then noticed Giovanni giving him an incredulous look.

"Get your own!" the bird said, taking flight to the rooftop over the main entrance to Team Rocket's Headquarters.

"Engage vapor scans and sensors!" the bird ordered. The grounds around the building suddenly glistened with red laser beams and a haze of mist.

"Engage polarized beacons and black lights!" came next. The grounds now took on a psychedelic look to them, as the eerie illuminations were turned on.

Odd as it looked, it worked. Ghosts suddenly were illuminated all over the grounds, and all advancing towards the defenders.

"THERE THEY ARE, PEOPLE! ATTACK!" the Moltres yelled, as it took flight into the first batch it saw.

The water Pokémon and their trainers fired ice mists all about, slowing the advance of the ghosts. The psychics and their Pokémon tossed orbs of energy at them, and also had a secret weapon - shards of ceramic that they would toss at the ghosts in a machine-gun like sweeping fire. The poison Pokémon, relatively ineffective for this battle, kept the flow of ammunition coming to the psychics.

Ayako and the fire Pokémon were busy torching ghosts, though Ayako was the only one able to fly.

"TROUBLE TO THE REAR!" was shouted. Ayako fried a Haunter then turned to see what was going on. She saw a gathering of ghost that was trying an out-flanking maneuver on their weak side.

"Fuego, FIRE WINGS, and assist!" Ayako ordered her Pokémon.

Fuego, already at full power, looked up at his mistress. "Are you sure? I'm already at full power... we've never mixed the wings with full power yet!"

"Feathers and beaks! Haven't you heard of trial by fire?" a voice rang through his head.

"Aero?" Fuego said, looking around.

"Your trainer gave you an order, son! DO IT!" the voice said tailing off into the distance.

Fuego shook his head. "FIRE WINGS!" he said to himself. "YAH!"

Even through the ceramic wall, Giovanni felt the heat of the event in front of the building. A rumble shook the grounds from the thunderclap the power had produced.

The wings on Fuego's back were massive, and he was now nearly the size of an Arcanine.

Ayako also had changed. She now had her own wings, and what could easily be described as a fiery sword, but it seemed to be attached directly to her.

"I guess I wasn't at full power!" a deep voice thundered out of Fuego's mouth. "Did I just say that?" he said again, the baritone surprising him.

"Hurry!" Ayako said as her own voice now sounded more mature and commanding.

"On it!" Fuego said causing a massive blast of hot wind as his wings pounded the air.

Size seemed to matter. Fuego found that he now lumbered through the air. Even when he tried the techniques Aero had taught him to speed his flight, it only helped a little in this new form. But he found that ghosts couldn't get near him! A swing of his wings burst ghosts twenty yards away. He dove into the fray, vaporizing many as he went.

At the rear of the building, Fuego found a baying Vaporeon standing over its trainer's still form.

"Man down!" Fuego yelled back to Ayako, who glanced back, but had her hands full of her own ghosts to deal with. He dove down to the Vaporeon's side, torching a few ghosts that had gathered around nearby, and possibly had been the ones responsible for the body.

"What am I suppose to do?" the Vaporeon cried. "What am I suppose to do?"

"Honor his memory, Hydron... don't just sit there being a target for these ghosts!"

The Vaporeon looked at the huge fire-beast beside it. "Fuego, is that you?"

He nodded. "Avenge his sacrifice..." the Hyper-Flareon said, brandishing his teeth.

"But... it was all my fault..." the Vaporeon wailed. "If I hadn't powered down..."

Another series of ghosts headed in. Fuego flapped a wing, and scattered the lot.

"Now is not the time to grieve, Hydron! Retaliate! Honor his memory! Become stronger for it!"

The Vaporeon looked at him. "Maybe... if I had wings..."

"Nothing's stopping you," Fuego said, spreading his wings wide, dusting a few more ghosts.

"But how?"

"Just concentrate... Feel the need for wings!"

"Feathers and beaks... You were GIVEN those wing, son!" the voice returned.

The Vaporeon looked about. "Who was that?"

Fuego rolled his eyes. "A friend... now try..."

Hydron closed her eyes and thought hard. "Wings... wings... WINGS!"

"Now, add an activation command..."

"WATER WINGS!"

"Feathers and beaks!" the voice said.

Fuego had to agree. "Try something else... try HYDRO WINGS!"

"Oh!" the Vaporeon said. Suddenly a pair of silvery wings sprouted from her back, on FUEGO'S COMMAND!

"This is different!" the voice said. "A Pokémon following a Pokémon's orders?"

Hydron cocked her head. "Tell your friend that you ARE my commanding Pokémon!"

"Feather and beaks!"

She looked down at the blackened form on the ground. "But what am I going to do without my Derek?"

"Come on... Ayako can take care of you..."

Fuego blasted the grounds lifting off. Hydron attempted to follow, but only managed to spray water everywhere.

"This isn't working, Fuego!" she yelped.

"Told ya!" the voice said.

"Hush!" Fuego told the voice. "You need to harden your wings - Probably being around my heat isn't helping much... try HYRDO ICE WINGS!"

Instantly, the wings on Hydron's back stiffened. Now they looked like glass. She flapped them, and managed to get airborne.

"I hope they stay on her!" the voice said.

She alighted on the roof for a moment, and examined the wings.

"There's fluid running through them... They should hold together... Thank you, Fuego!"

The fire beast winked. "Now, why don't you fly around and put out an ice mist around the parameter?"

Ayako and North were surprised by the sudden appearance of a flying Vaporeon, as was Giovanni. Fuego returned to his mistress' side.

"Fuego, what have you been doing back there?" she asked him while slicing a Gastly with the sword appendage.

"Training your new Pokémon to fly!" he said with a grin.

"MY new Pokémon?" she said.

"NOT NOW PEOPLE!" the Moltres said. For a limited amount of ghosts, there seemed to be much more than anticipated.

Giovanni watched. The Golden R was impressive in action... Too impressive. He grabbed a cell phone from his jacket and keyed a number.

He watched the 'Moltres' fly over the building then return to the front as it chased some Gastlys. "Yes sir!" crackled from his phone.

"He's here," Giovanni said an evil smile on his face.

"Standing orders, sir?" the person on the phone asked.

"Correct. But wait until the operation outside is complete before sending in your TS force... I'd rather he were alone when you capture him... In his present form, you may be able to use a PokéBall!"

Giovanni closed the phone and laughed to himself.

-----------------------------

A burst of kinetic energy within North's lab announced the arrival of Meowth. He clunked across the floor. Then, he stepped out of the armor.

"Sure is easier ta do it DAT way!" he said. He examined the hole in the belly plate. "I wonder's why it is dat I's k'n walk through's ceramic, but da Haunters and Gastlys can't?"

"Oh, it's you... Break it all ready?"

Meowth looked up. On top of the refrigerator was Ziggy the Persian.

"Oh... You... Why aren't you wit' yer master, cat..."

"I like it here," it meowed. "It's warm and toasty, and the compressor in this thing gives a great massage!" He rolled over as the refrigerator turned on.

Meowth shook his head. "Cats!... Where's North... I need ta get dis t'ing fixed!"

On his back, the Persian pointed outside with its tail. "Fighting ghosts outside..."

"What?" Meowth said. He walked over to a wall, turned transparent and stuck his head into it. He was surprised at just how thick the wall was, and the many layers were in it. Then he found a ceramic sheet, and stuck his head through that.

The Red Haunter on the other side looked surprised at the cat's head that had just appeared through the wall.

"YAAH!" Meowth yelled, and pulled his head back in. The Haunter attempted to follow, but bounced off the tile.

"We're under SIGE!" Meowth said, re-solidifying himself. "I've gotta get my suit fixed! Quick! Tell me's where North put da spare parts!" he yelped at the topsy-turvy Persian.

Ziggy was enjoying the buzzing of the compressor more than wanting to answer that stupid Meowth. "Ummmmmm..."

Meowth looked in disgust at the Persian. He reached down and pulled the plug on the refrigerator.

"ALERT! ALERT! POWER CORE COOLING SYSTEM POWER FAILURE!" a computerized voice said while lights and alarms blared. "FIVE MINUTES TILL MELTDOWN!"

Meowth quickly plugged the refrigerator back in. The lights and alarms shut off. "System restored... Have a nice day..."

He looked up, and the Persian was looking down.

"Don't do that again... I'd rather not be blown to the moon!"

"Listen, ya fuzz-ball!" Meowth yelled at the Persian. "I'm needed out d'ere! Now are ya's gonna help me find da spare parts, or what?!"

The Persian sighed, and dropped off the fridge. On the floor, it looked at Meowth eye to eye. But then it reared up, much to Meowth's surprise. It towered over him, standing on its rear feet.

"Y-you's can stand up?" Meowth said in a shock. "Walk like a human?"

"I can talk like a human as well," Ziggy said in human tongue, not the meowing he had been doing to this point. "When I wish to, that is..." He looked over at the workshop. "Come on... let's see what's in North's larder..."

-----------------------------

Kinza entered the power center. The place had taken a direct hit, and he was surprised it hadn't detonated when Black Lugia blew it earlier.

"Oh my..."

Kinza looked over at Jesse, who had just spoke. She was looking up at the ceiling. He followed her gaze then pulled his scanning rod out, adjusting it quickly.

Myamoto was bounding about the room, a staff with a burning flame on one end in her hands. She was attacking a huge Red Haunter, larger than any Haunter they had ever seen.

"I have heard rumors of a Haunter that big," James said. "I think they called it the Black Fog... is THAT it?"

Kinza shook his head. "Only if it's made up of multiple Haunters... that's a collective up there!"

"A collective?" Jazzy asked. "Why?"

Kinza adjusted his scanner. "I'll tell you one reason... Now fire won't harm it! That many Haunters collected together, the core of that thing is hot enough to torch a normal ghost!"

Myamoto bounded over the containment vessel, striking the massive ghost multiple times with the staff. The Haunter swatted at her, finally striking her. She found herself being flung at the containment vessel.

Kinza saw her protect-move... she became translucent.

"DON'T ENTER THE VESSLE, MYA!" he shouted.

She heard him just before striking the unit.

Kinza closed his eyes and crouched down, like that would have helped him. He squinted. He saw Myamoto's legs sticking out of the Anti-Matter Vessel.

"We've got to help her!" Jesse said anxiously.

"I'll get her out," Kinza said. "She may be a spirit, but she still has enough mass to detonate that stuff... Maybe... You take care of the ghost."

Myamoto opened her eyes. Below her, snapping and crackling at her presence, was an imperfect cube, deep red and splotched with brown spots.

"Kinza! What is this?!" she shouted.

"Good to hear from you, ma'am!" Kinza answered, muffled by the containment wall. "What do you see, and where do you see it?"

"I - I see a large square block of some sort... It seems suspended between 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6... six cones of some sort..."

"Good," Kinza said. "Is it centered?"

She looked about it as it slowly rotated. "It seems closer to the lower cone than the rest... Kinza... what is this?"

"Lower cone..." she heard him say. "Makes sense... lower cone damage is what usually gets containment vessels in trouble... there..."

Myamoto suddenly found her hair pointing straight up, and the block moving TOWARDS HER!

"KINZA! IT'S COMING CLOSER!" she screamed.

She then felt a pulling on her legs.

"That's it! Keep pulling!" she heard Kinza say. "I've got to ready this thing to eject... whoa!"

Suddenly, the gentle tugging she had been getting was replaced by a sudden yank of a cold, sharp finger.

"Mother!" Jesse yelled from under the wreckage she had been tossed into.

Myamoto found herself being pulled from the vessel by the clawed hand of the giant Red Haunter. A quick glance around the room found spirits smashed or under assorted wreckage, tossed aside by the huge ghost.

"MEW!"

Myamoto craned her neck. Beside her was Mew!

"Mew!" it said, launching several orbs of energy at the Haunter. They struck it and hurled it back. It lost its grip on the spirit it was about to devour.

"MEEW!" said the cat. An orb snapped around the ghost like a PokéBall.

"Nice work Mew," Kinza said, punching a few extra switches on the console he was working at. "Time to get out of here folks!" he said, pressing a final button, and jogging for the door.

The spirits looked over at him confused.

"Well, I don't know about you," he said, "but I'd rather not get torched by the ejection system launching that containment vessel out here!"

There was much hurried scurrying for the walls of the room.

The foundation shook again as Kinza covered his head. Myamoto and Mew were beside him outside the power room. Ceiling tiles fell all about. A roar filled the building, followed by the shrieking of metal and building parts. Then all was silent as the dust from under the door settled.

"Kinza... what was that I was stuck in?" Myamoto finally asked the Tomassamassa.

He looked her straight in the eye. "Anti-Matter Containment Vessel, five minutes from detonation... 'How about that?"

She watched him walk away, mouth agape. "You know," he added as he turned a corner, "the funny thing is, we're only some 30 miles away from 3 Mile Island... Boomy!"

Mew handed Mya the President's Staff she had been fighting the ghost with.

-----------------------------

Far off in the distance, the night sky was illuminated by the fire of a rocket motor. Ash adjusted his goggles to zoom in on the object. It was tall and whitish, and it left a trail of flame miles long, but that was the best he could see.

He then could only see a very large green eye looking back at him. "Is there room for two on there?" the eye asked.

Ash switched the goggles to normal view, revealing Rose in front of him. She was wearing a pair of goggle on her forehead as well, and brandishing a photon launcher.

"Isn't that the gun that nearly blinded us all?" Ash asked, looking at the nasty device.

Rose patted the gun like a friend. "It's loaded with low output rounds... the same kick, just a shorter range, and less of a flash."

Lugia looked back at the woman beside himself. "Not to interrupt, but I believe I would do better with just Ash on my back," he told them.

Ash looked over his ride and had to concur. "He's right I think..."

Rose surveyed the beast before her. "Not to insult you, but you do seem smaller than the Green Lugia of Level 6.4..."

Lugia raised an eyebrow. "And of Black Lugia?" it asked.

Rose stood back a step, nearly right off the edge of the tower. "Bigger... it's definitely bigger..."

"Swell," Ash said. He looked over at his Charizard, who had perched himself nearby. "How about Charizard? Charizard? 'Mind if Rose rides you?"

Charizard looked over at the red haired lady. "Rowlf!' he grunted, snorted a little steam, and dropped his wing.

"Thank you Ash!" Rose said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek then hopping down off the wall to get over to Charizard.

"What do they see in you Ashy-boy?" the voice of Gary startled Ash. He turned to find him right behind him.

"What?" Ash asked.

Gary shook his head. "A beautiful psychic kisses you, a knock-dead red-head kisses you, and if I'm not mistaken, there's Misty down there, looking up here! And you ask 'what?'"

Ash looked over the wall and tuned his goggles. There in the driver's seat of his Chevy, readying to take her location by a local river was Misty, glaring up at him. Ooooh boy!

"I came up to offer you luck, but it looks like you've been given your quota!" Gary cracked. Lugia laughed.

"Thanks a bunch, Lugia!" Ash mumbled. Then he felt a tapping on his shoulder.

"I mean it... good luck."

Ash took Gary's extended hand and shook it. "You too, Gary."

Gary nodded, looked about the horizon then disappeared down the stairs.

"You too, Gary..."

Lugia shifted on his roost. Ash felt uneasiness run through it.

"What's wrong Lugia?"

"Time... The Black one should have been here by now... I am worried."

"Mew?" the cat Pokémon said. "Mew meew meme mew..."

Lugia nodded.

"What did it say?" Ash asked.

"Mew says that she doesn't feel the evil coming at us anymore... I agree."

Ash sat thinking. He looked in the direction that he had seen the rocket launch earlier.

Then a flash of horror struck him.

"PROFFESSOR OAK! PROFESSOR OAK!" he screamed.

Oak came out of the trailer. Ash saw that Gary had made the base of the tower, and had joined his grandfather. "Yes Ash?" Oak yelled back.

"Professor, contact your center! See if they're okay!"

Oak's face became flush. Ash had asked something that hadn't occurred to him. The safety of his OWN Pokémon!

Oak stood for a moment, motionless. Gary was pounding away on his cell phone. He listened. His face joined his grandfather.

"Ash! It says the lines are down to Pallet!" he yelled back.

Ash turned forward. "Lugia! GO!"

A pink flash showed that Mew of Level 14 had already departed.

The two MewTwos followed close behind.

Misty revved the engine of the Chevy. "Everyone get their Pokémon into PokéBalls, and GET IN!" she yelled.

"Legendary Birds! TO THE AIR!" Lugia commanded. The four bird flew off, Rose and Charizard making a fifth to the flight.

Surge got in next to Misty. Blaine, Brock and Lara piled into the back seat.

"Make room for Gary!" Misty said, but then saw a surprising sight. Gary Oak charged around the tower riding the largest of his Arcanines, and was clear out of sight before they could notice!

"Always the show off!" Misty said, and floored the throttle.

"LIVE FOREVER, BABIES!" Surge yelled. A cheer ran between the rest of the car's occupants.

Sabrina watched the last of the defenders leave.

If only Surge was right...

A hand pressed on her shoulder. She turned to see Mother Jesse.

Sabrina smiled, and looked at the ground. "This one's for all our missing loves..." she said.

"Make it pay," the mother of Rose said with conviction of hate in her voice.

Sabrina looked at the Jesse she hardly knew, yet felt a kinship with. She placed her fingers on her forehead. "Let peace guide you. Throw away the hatred you've acquired. Find peace with your daughter. Your James will always be with you as long as you have her."

She smiled. "Thank you," she said.

Sabrina smiled. At least she had one victory today.

She stood away form Mother Jesse, jumped slightly into the air, and vanished in a teleport move.

She arrived on the road above Pallet, where much of this all had started. There was the tree that exclaimed...

**_"Jesse Musashi...  
...always in my heart,  
James"_**

Across the road sat a lone, old, dirty bottle of ketchup. And the bush.

Then she looked down the valley. Flames shot from a dozen houses. On the hill across from where she stood, was Oak's Research Center. The flames from the town illuminated the damage to the front of the complex. The familiar windmill was sheared off. The roof of building one was missing. The rest couldn't be seen. This wasn't Red Ghost damage.

Sabrina drew in a deep breath then took to the air, heading for the complex on the hill.

oOo

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Battle Phoenix, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


	18. Archangel Part 3 Pallet

**T H E ¤ L U G I A ¤ C H R O N I C L E S**

**Chapter Eighteen **

**¤ A ¤ R ¤ C ¤ H ¤ A ¤ N ¤ G ¤ E ¤ L ¤**

**Part Three **

**Pallet **

**By R. A. Stott**

_**Based on FanFics by Anni Ruecroft & R. A. Stott,  
with references to  
"The Myamoto Project" by S. E. Nordwall,  
"United in Eternity" by Jazzy,  
and  
"Team Rocket: Terminal Solutions" by Steve Brunton  
And a passing note to the works of Kosuke Fujishima**_

"What in da woild is dat?"

A long bank of monitors rolled out from a secret nook in the wall before Meowth and Ziggy.

Ziggy ignored Meowth's question as he switched on the monitors. Views from all over the outside of the building popped up on the upper banks. The mid series of monitors showed views from around the area, other towns, other Pokémon Centers and such.

The lowest set showed readouts, data and scan readings. In the lowest corner of the bank of monitors flashed a message. Ziggy brought it up on a monitor on his console before him. He raised an eyebrow and keyed a mic.

"Tech Lab 1 to North. Do you read?"

"Ziggy?" North's voice was heard.

"I don't see 'im on yer monitors dere, kiddo!" Meowth said, examining the pictures. He looked at the monitor in front of Ziggy. It was nothing but squiggly lines.

Ziggy eyed the Pokémon Spirit beside him then returned to the communication. "Sir, Standing Order 1 has been activated."

"Has it now?" North replied over the com unit. "Any activity?"

Ziggy punched a few buttons on the console. A few of the monitors switched pictures.

"We have unfriendlies outside the building at the usual locations... plus two outside the lab... That's odd..."

"Unfriendlies?" Meowth said, jumping back into the remains of his armor. "W-What sort'a unfriendlies?"

"That is odd indeed," North communicated. "If you need to, activate the droid."

"Confirmed," Ziggy said. "I also have another problem here."

"Yes?"

"Meowth has returned. His armor is damaged. Did you have any spare parts available?"

A short silence was heard as the action on the upper monitors grew slightly.

"UH! Whoa! Stand by!" came a short reply.

Meowth peeked out his helmet at the monitors. He still didn't see North. But oddly, the actions of that large bird seemed to follow North's voice.

Then the remains of his belly cover fell off the armor and shattered. He got out and started to pick up the larger pieces.

"Okay, I'm back! Key in 4-7-4-2-9-M. What parts need replacing?"

Ziggy looked down at the armor. "It looks like the lower torso section, from the neck down to the legs..."

"Yea, the belly-plate... thought that would be one of the first pieces to break... It was also the hardest to make... we're using the broken pieces as shrapnel out here! I think I made a back-up..."

Ziggy keyed the code he was given. A door slid open on the floor, and a large rectangular black box rose from the ground. It split in two sections, the one side sliding to the left, the other rotating to show its reverse side.

Meowth dropped the shards he was holding and stood in awe.

The block held almost two more complete suits, one red, the other blue, plus some stray white parts, including a belly plate.

Meowth stood and stared at the sight, then walked slowly up to the storage unit.

"Tell me Ziggy," the voice of North came over the com again, "are you standing?"

"Err! Yes!" he said, suddenly in pain.

"Ah, I thought so... You know better than to do that for too long! Take a rest, kid."

"Hey! Are you's okay?" Meowth said, noticing that the Persian was back on all fours again.

"Fine!" he said, once again speaking in cat tongue. "I just have my limits... Quickly, get your parts. You'll need to close this thing up as well. My paws have reverted..."

"What ARE you?" Meowth said, picking up the belly-plate and taking it to his armor.

The Persian padded along side Meowth. "Have you ever heard of a Project: Anthropomorphic?"

Meowth squinted at the Persian. "Yea... But dat was a whole bunch'a years ago... Back when I was da boss' Number 1 cat!"

"Right, it was the attempt by the Team Rocket scientists to try and make a super Pokémon by splicing human DNA into a Pokémon."

Meowth installed the plate. "Yea, but I remember da boss cancelin' dat project... somethin' about failures ta keep within da budgets..."

"Because the scientists almost wiped out the entire stock of Pokémon in Team Rocket's inventory... and destroyed most of them in the process... only a few survived, many because North protected us, made it look as if we had died, then assisted us as much as he could back to what we were."

Meowth stood and stared at the Persian, holding the belly-plate in place.

"You'd better secure that, before you drop it," the Persian said, cracking a slight smile.

Meowth quickly secured the plate. "You know, dat would mean North... North is a traitor to Team Rocket?"

"How so?" Ziggy said, sitting down. "By saving my life? By giving you armor to fight red ghosts? By showing compassion, when others only treated you like fodder?"

Meowth looked at the floor. "Look... just between you's and me... cat ta cat... what is all dis? Since when does a Tech Lab need a security system like dat? A SECURITY SYSTEM needs a system like dat, not a Tech Lab! Ya got a fridge dat squawks dat it'll blow da place up if unplugged! Com'on! What gives!"

Ziggy shook his head. "I shouldn't. If I told you, your life would be forfeit.'

"Hate ta break it to ya, but I'm already dead!"

Ziggy looked at Meowth. "Are you?" and gave him a quick fury swipe.

"Ah!" Meowth looked down at his paw. A slight trickle of blood ran down it.

"But... but... I'm a SPIRIT!"

"Exactly... a SPIRIT, in solid form," Ziggy said. "But you THINK as if you were still alive, therefore, when I cut you, you bled."

Meowth looked at his paw again. The cut vanished, as did the blood.

"What does all dis mean?" Meowth said, confused.

"It means, if the wrong scientists, even Giovanni, found out that YOU can bleed... That Jesse, or James... Jazzy, Myamoto... ANY of the spirits could LIVE again... What would your lives be like?"

Meowth rubbed his chin. "Probably pretty nasty... Dey'd probably wanna dissect us... wait a minute... does dat mean da boss doesn't know about Jesse and James' bargain wit' da Pikachu?"

"North made sure that he didn't find that in the contract between Team Rocket and the Stratus League. All he knows, all anyone in Team Rocket knows, is that Jesse and James, and now YOU, agreed to fight against Black Lugia to defend Team Rocket."

"Welll, yea..." Meowth said, looking aside. "Dat, an' da fact dat dey'd eat da woild if we didn't do somethin'!"

Ziggy smiled. "Exactly North's position. Did you ever wonder how you always survived all those run-ins that wound up with you three 'blasting off'?"

Meowth stared at Ziggy. "North?"

Ziggy nodded. "North has been your - err - guardian Angel, so to say, all these years. He's used his systems to save your tails more times... you should have died 5 years ago..."

"You's mean he's been lettin' us get blasted by dat shockin' RAT all dees years!?" Meowth yelped. "He IS a traitor!"

"If you wish," Ziggy said, looking at the floor then glaring at Meowth. "But if he had let you capture Pikachu, where would we be now?"

"What?" Meowth then thought about it. "Oh yea... Maybe it would have worked out differently..."

Ziggy shook his head. "No... that time-line was examined... It resulted in Team Rocket creating Super Pokémon that destroyed all humans, then they got wiped by the Lugian forces..."

Meowth snapped his fingers.

"You see, North has worked with the Stratus League for years," Ziggy continued. "He's a kind of a history nut. And he knows Team Rocket's history from the very beginning. Do you know Team Rocket's true beginnings?"

Meowth's face fell and he shook his head. "I always t'aught it was set up by da boss' grandpa as a way to capture Pokémon and rule da woild..."

Ziggy laughed. "Team ROCKET, the name alone explains it all... The government cover-up was sure thorough, wasn't it?"

Meowth's eyes bugged for a moment. "Government?"

Ziggy leapt to the top of the refrigerator and curled up. "Team Rocket was a secret government operation... set up around a discovery by Giovanni's grandMOTHER, who was a scientist. She discovered an energy barrier in space that every fifty years approaches this planet. It had been found that after each near pass-by to this barrier - a warp gate she called it - new Pokémon would be found on the planet. But it was found that some of these encounters weren't placid."

"Placid?" Meowth asked.

"Well, look at the record... The top of Mount Moon used to tower almost twice the height it is now. Can you imagine what the explosion was like when the Moon Stone struck?"

Meowth looked confused. "I t'aught dem crazy Clefairy brought dat stone wit' dem!"

Ziggy cocked his head. "They did." he said. "Wiped out a good chunk of the Prehistoric Pokémon in the process..."

Meowth whistled.

"Anyway, the government was worried that something like that could have happened again and secretly formed Team Rocket. Lead by Giovanni's grandparents, Team Rocket built a giant space ship to fly to the warp gate to examine it.""

"What'ta load! I never hoid any'a dis! What rocket?"

Ziggy shook his head. "If you had KNOWN of the rocket, it wouldn't have been a SECRET, now WOULD IT?"

"Ummm... Good point..."

"The government didn't want a panic. The entire mission was supposed to be done under the ruse of a massive satellite launching. But something went wrong. The ship exploded on the launch pad. Giovanni's grandmother and her crew were killed, as was a nearby town, as the ship was using a secret nuclear power plant, which detonated when the rockets blew."

Meowth lit up. "Da nuclear explosion of 60 years ago, yea, dat I heard of... but dat was blamed on some guy named... er... Suzuki?... Sukiyaki?..."

"Sakaki," Ziggy said, rolling over to take in the vibrations of the fridge on his sore back.

"Okay... so?"

"Sakaki is Giovanni's family name... Haven't you ever wondered why Giovanni doesn't look Italian?"

Meowth shrugged. "He ain't I take it?"

"He's as Italian as a Subaru... Anyway, after his grandfather were falsely blamed for the explosion..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Falsely?"

"A history scan recently given the Stratus by Forrestal shows that the rocket was purposefully damaged by an act of sabotage... a cable mole, a device that burrows underground to lay cables, was directed into the side of the rocket that was below ground just as the motors ignited."

"By who?" Meowth asked.

"Some deranged Air Force general that didn't like the fact that his own projects had been compromised by that project of the Sakakis. Since he had been a war hero, he was honored by the government, and the blame was placed solely on the Sakakis. But the surviving members of the Team knew they were being made the scapegoats. So the old man took it underground. He vowed to keep Team Rocket to their original commitment... perhaps you've heard it before..."

"And dat is?"

"'To protect the world from devastation - For the betterment of Humans and Pokémon'. North was always impressed that your trio was the only one's to ever come close to the original motto."

Meowth rubbed his chin again. "Yea, but dat second part... dat sounded like... the Stratus League?"

Ziggy closed his eyes. "Originally, another section of Team Rocket that escaped the wrath of the Government, but they had outside help. That group I know little about, as they don't appear much on the data readouts... All I know is that they are the ones responsible for our starships. All I know is that they are called Observers."

Meowth looked at his armor and stepped into it. "So tell me, how'd Team Rocket become da Team Rocket we all know an' love?"

The refrigerator turned off. Ziggy rolled back over and stretched. "It started with Giovanni's father. He was bitter by the government's treatment of his mother, and started to take Team Rocket down the path it is currently on. Giovanni took it further by creating the semi-legit front for Team Rocket, when he formed Silph Company and took on his Japanese/Roman cover."

Meowth shook his head. "Wow..." He lifted off the floor with his armor intact again.

"Before you go, you'd better put recharge packs into those plasma cannons," Ziggy said. "You'll find them at the bottom of the storage case."

Meowth landed by the black monolith and looked at the bottom unit. He stepped out of the suit again and plucked a fresh set of plasma charges. He inserted them into the cannons. But as he did it, a flash caught his eyes.

It came from a half closed black door in the storage unit. He reached over and flicked the door open.

"Oooooh... a sparklie!" he said, his eyes widening at the sight. He reached in and removed a sword. It was white and silver, the blade coated in ceramic. It looked heavy, but Meowth found it easily handled. He looked at his armor, and found a place to sheath the weapon. He shrugged, and inserted it. Instantly, the cannons detached from the armor and fell to the floor.

"Yaa! What happen!?"

Ziggy chuckled. "Looks like it's an either/or situation here..."

Meowth removed the sword and began to reinstall the blasters. "Why in da woild would he make somethin' like dis, and not allow dem ta be tagetha?" he said, struggling to mount the large twin barrel unit properly.

Ziggy put his head on his forepaws. "I'd say it was because of the controls of the left blaster..."

Meowth looked at the handle, which reached under the left arm, and the sword's hilt. "Ummm... 'guess yer right... Probably cut it right off removin' da sword..."

"Or shatter the ceramic," the Persian added.

Meowth slid the storage case sections back together. They clicked, and descended into the floor again. He then punched a button on the console, and the monitors slid back into their nook.

"You've decided to keep North's secret?" Ziggy asked, watching Meowth's work.

"Hey, I ain't stupid..." Meowth told him. "If anyone c'n t'ink ahead like dat, and still provide ya wit' all dis stuff, ya want him on yer side, right?"

Ziggy raised his head and smiled. "You're smarter than you look!" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey! I resemble dat remark!" Meowth said, climbing into the armor again, and picking up the sword.

"You're taking the sword with you?" Ziggy asked.

"Hey, da more goodies, da better!" Meowth grinned through the mask.

"But you'll only be able to fire one of the blasters at a time!"

"So, I'll swap paws," Meowth said, taking a few steps towards the wall. He stopped and looked back at the Persian.

"Hey kid... t'anks..."

Meowth then lifted off the floor then vanished in a kinetic burst.

"No problem, " Ziggy said in proper human English. "Computer, activate droid."

"Acknowledged..."

Two Rockets wearing gray uniforms with a darker gray 'R' on their chests knocked on the door to Tech Lab 1.

"The door's unlocked... come on in..." came the voice inside.

They entered.

"Ah, the TS..." North said from his workbench. "What can I do for you?"

"We need a trap, Doc," the first Rocket said, 'for a very hot bird."

Ziggy smiled, and rolled over. The refrigerator kicked in again.

-----------------------------

A bell chimed on the empty bridge. "This is the S.A.M. system... at 13:42 hours, ship time, all life was extinguished on the planet, save the subject on Exeter scanner 12... Stand by... Exeter now entering the Trans-Dimensional barrier... Wave of Lugian ghosts returning to the planet..."

Strom looked at the monitor, watching the scans from Exeter #12. Black Lugia returned to its feast of the Green Lugia of Level 6.4. Haunters and Gengars worked over the body of that level's Ash Ketchum. The sight sickened Strom, and he shut the view off.

The bell chimed again. "T-Minus-1 hour, MARK!"

He leaned into his console and put his head into his hands. He reached down and flicked a switch. "Attention... this is the Captain... abandon ship... all crew, abandon ship... Code 1 emergency procedures. God speed to the crew of Forrestal."

The upper and lower landing bays opened on the massive ship. A collection of small craft exited the six upper small bay doors, while 2 large lifeboats exited the large single bay below. The craft, small and large, maneuvered forward slowly, as if to look at their starship one last time, passing the forward section. The small ships passing over the bridge tipped their wings in a final salute then gathered with the large lifeboats.

Strom watched his evacuated crew assemble their ships into a flotilla, locking small ships to the larger ships, until they formed a single large ship. They then moved away at space normal speed.

"They'll never make it..." the familiar voice of his second in command said from behind him. "Done in by a contractor's stupid mistake..."

Strom looked back at Mr. Button. "Are we sure they can't at least do warp?"

Button shrugged. "They said they would try... these soft-skinned lifeboats just weren't designed to do what they say they can do... They absorb the energy needed to enter the Trans-Dimensional Zone when outside the ship. And they hinder warp efficiency by trying to tear when at warp."

Strom shook his head. "Okay... that's what I've put in my report... and that we held back launching until Exeter was gone to prevent a historic squawk on her scanners."

"Right," Mr. Button said. "Blast... we might not be able to save the crew, but we sure can save the reports... damn temporal probes..." Mr. Button flipped his PADD down on the console with a clatter, and looked at Roy with much disgust.

Roy looked back. "S.A.M. - ship's status..."

"Forrestal is set for semi-automatic flight, controls set for 4 person command. The ship has been abandoned - current crew compliment, 5... Explosive bolts armed on lower secondary power center... Pseudo-Matter replaced by Anti-Matter..."

"S.A.M., did you say a crew compliment of 5?" Strom asked.

Before the computer answered, the lower bridge door slid open. A lone junior officer entered the bridge.

"Volunteer Helmsman reporting for duty, SIR!" he said, saluting the Captain's Loft.

"Mr. Tolefson, what are you still doing on the ship?" Mr. Button said.

"My job, sir!" he answered. "You're about to need your best helmsman for this maneuver!"

Button looked at Roy. "I think it's because you want a stab at using the manual flight yolk," Roy said, looking down at his young helmsman.

"I may never get another chance at it sir!" he grinned.

Tolefson was the wild-man of he crew. Ornery described only his attitude - Full of himself, possibly. But when he said he was the best they had at helm, he was right.

"Okay Tolly, you're in!" Strom said.

"Whoohoo!" the helmsman cheered.

"You do know the mission, right?" Button asked the leaping lieutenant.

"Yes sir! Fly in, drop the power center as fast as we can, then use the last bit of Anti-Matter we have to warp away... hopefully to coast far enough away to avoid being too badly scorched."

Roy shrugged. "Plain, simple, to the point... you've got the job, son! Station!"

"Yes sir!"

The young lieutenant dropped into his seat at the main con. The computerized control board that would normally be the flight controls slid aside and a manual flight yolk extended from the floor, the old ship's original flight controls. Tolefson snapped on a pair of gloves, slid his feet into the foot pitch and yaw controls, grabbed the yolk and smiled.

"Okay, Mr. Tolefson... the ship is yours... take her up... begin slow approach," Strom said taking his seat again.

"Aye, sir... coming up."

Tolefson yanked back on the yolk, his left hand pulling on a throttle trigger on the handle. The ship's underbelly engines roared to life, lifting the ship clear of the moon's surface in a cloud of dust. A tweak of the opposite trigger on the right hand, and the ship's impulse engines and thrusters pushed her slowly forwards.

"Here's another history lesson for you, Mr. Tolefson," the captain said. "Do you know what this is called that we are doing?"

"No sir," the lieutenant said, a bit surprised at the sudden class he was getting.

Strom looked over at Mr. Button, who nodded. "It's called a slow march, lieutenant."

Tolefson looked impressed. "I hope we live for me to remember that..."

The ship plied on, leaving the moon's event zone, heading for the deadly red planet ahead.

-----------------------------

It took Ash and Lugia some time, but they finally managed to get within eyesight of the streaks that were the Mew of Level 14 and the two MewTwos. He had watched the ground roll up and down below them, the familiar lands around his home town. Dawn was breaking to the east, allowing him a greater view of the horizon ahead and what he saw caused him dread.

Smoke - A great deal of smoke. He pulled a com link from his hip pocket.

"All stations! All stations!" he yelled into the link. "This is League Officer Ketchum... the Black Lugia is in Pallet! Repeat, the Black Lugia is in Pallet! All stations, report to Pallet!"

Sabrina flew over the gaping hole in the roof of the science center, smoke still coming from the fresh damage. She moved towards the PokéBall Storage facilities.

The first unit, an older square building, showed signs of being wrenched open by a welding torch. A shimmering of red inside the hole told her that red ghosts were inside, attacking the PokéBalls contained within.

But the remaining units, 18 silo domed shaped buildings in all, all still seemed intact. They showed signs of attack, scorched and battered, but the strength of the domes proved the strength of the designs. Whether that meant that ghosts hadn't entered them, she did not know.

What bothered her though was Black Lugia had shown the strength before to simply destroy such a thing with a simple shot of heavy voltage. Why couldn't it do it now?

She quickly found out, when she found the beast in the fields beyond attacking a Tauros. She saw the red sacks below its eyes to be nearly gone.

"Well, eating that beast will only give you rage, if that's what you were trying for!" she said while she charged an orb and launched it at him.

Black Lugia looked up, and absorbed the energy.

"Ah... you've run low on power!" she said.

"Yes... thank you for the boost..." it snarled up at her.

"At least it was only energy..." she said to herself. She then looked at a nearby fence. She pointed at the row, which exploded into a great wave of sharpened shafts which she threw at the evil beast. As she drew the wood spears in on the beast, it launched itself at her.

She dove down below the Black Lugia as it blasted by her. But with the beast now absorbing energy directly, she felt her own energy sap away briefly as it passed by. The wood shafts dropped to the ground.

"RED GHOSTS! TO MEEE!" it bellowed as Sabrina shook her head of the cobwebs.

She turned to see the red glow she had seen in the first storage building fly up and into the monster. It fed on the ghosts, literally taking both the ghost and energy in all.

"Is that ALL!?" it yelled. "ALL GHOSTS! TOOO MEEE!!!"

Ayako fired a series of Fire Rages at the group of ghosts before her. Many scattered, many vaporized.

But suddenly, the ghosts turned, then dashed back the way they came.

"What's going on here?" Ayako asked out loud as she watched the ghosts retreat. "They haven't shown any signs of retreating before..."

"They've been recalled to Pallet," the Pseudo Moltres said, swooping in beside her.

"How can you tell?" she asked.

"I've got a transmitter on... When I changed, I made sure I was wearing a headset communicator," the bird said.

"Smart of you..."

"More than you think... The TS is out here... waiting..."

Ayako looked about. "Why?"

"Me," North said. "The Boss wants me."

"Greedy little..." swore Ayako. "That's against the charter..."

"That won't stop him... course, that won't stop ME either... We've got to follow those ghosts!"

"Heads up!" a voice projected into the Bird's head. "6 O'clock!" the voice of his Droid rattled about. It was then followed by the sound of a large explosion in his ear.

The Moltres looked between its legs. A pair of TS agents were pointing a launcher at him from the doorway of the building. They fired, and a large purple MasterBall flew out of the gun at him.

Hydron flew in and froze the ball, which fell to the ground harmless. But as she turned to gain altitude, a Scyther struck her. She dropped to the ground, a wing badly wounded. Behind her, Fuego turned an angry stare on the green insect Pokémon, and sent it back where it had leapt from burning.

"Hydron!" Fuego said, checking over his friend.

"Uhhh... I hurt, Fuego..." she groaned.

"Loose the wings... the Scyther may have had poison on its blades..."

She nodded, and the wings melted off her back.

Fuego's attention turned to the two TS agents at the doorway. They started to spray the area with MasterBalls from their gun.

"Droid!" North yelled, dodging the balls the best he could. "What did you GIVE them!?"

Back in the lab, a body lay on the floor oozing a red liquid. It looked up from its crumpled position and checked out the shot-gun hole in its chest.

"He weren't expecting THAT, were we Ziggy?"

"Meowrl!" the Persian said, peeking around the back corner of the refrigerator's storage nook. The TS agents had taken the weapon the droid of North had given them, handed it to another pair of TS, and then blasted him as they left.

"Good thing I was designed to mimic this sort of thing..." it said, getting up and tapping its head. "Droid here... the weapon they chose was a MasterBall launcher... capable of 50 rounds..."

North dove under a few more MasterBalls. "Were the balls ARMED?"

The droid looked at a monitor. "They were not armed here in the lab."

"What about the gun's automatic arming unit?" the Moltres yelled.

"Well, yes, that would activate the balls..." the droid said, pulling a control box out of its red-stained pocket, "... if it were in it!"

"Thank you droid!" North said, turned, and headed right for the TS agents.

The rest of the Golden R were surprised to see TS agents attacking their leader, and began to head for the front of the building.

Two Vaporeons joined the two agents. They began firing streams of water at the fire Pokémon. Fuego jumped back, but was struck twice by the geyser. He threw a firewall between himself and the water, allowing himself to jump away from the flow.

He only had a moment to glance below. A Blastoise...

He felt drowned...

Ayako snapped back, her powers gone. She was only a few feet off the ground, but she was moving at the TS agents. She tumbled into a bush beside them. Fuego fell nearby, a wet mass.

The Moltres fired an enraged blast of flame at the agents, who dove for cover. The second agent pulled a package from her pack that looked like a flying disc, and tossed it at the Moltres. As it approached North, it burst open, ensnaring him in a fire-proof net.

"DAMN YOU!" the bird screamed, as it bounced across the ground on its back.

The Golden R headed for their fallen leaders.

"FREEZE!" was ordered from all around. TS agents surrounded them from all sides, spotlights glaring on the troops. The sound of guns could be heard cocking and locking, and the Golden Rs saw small red dots appearing on their chests and heads. They stopped.

"ON THE GROUND! NOW!!"

Giovanni watched and smiled. The process was relatively simple to him, he thought.

He then felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned to see North, dripping in what looked like blood and a gaping blast in his chest, holding out a phone to him. He gasped.

"You have a phone call, sir," North said.

Giovanni took the phone, shaking at the sight of his chief of Tech Lab 1. He hadn't ordered him terminated...

"G-Giovanni..." he said, as he watched North turn and head back down the corridor, a trail of red staining the carpet.

"Sakaki, what do you think you're doin'?" a voice with a distinctive southern drawl on the other end of the cell phone asked.

Giovanni snapped to reality again. That voice! James' FATHER! Chairperson of the Team Rocket Board!

The building shook. He looked out the window, and 12 attack craft circled the compound, taking positions behind his TS agents.

"AGENTS OF TERMINAL SOLUTIONS, DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" boomed a voice from the lead Skat Back.

"Are you TRYIN' to start a civil war within Team Rocket?" the voice on the phone asked. "You are in violation of the Team Rocket charter, son... I suggest you get your tail over here for an emergency board meetin' we're about to have..."

Giovanni dropped the phone and leaned against the window. He saw the two agents below looking up at him. He shook his head. The agents picked up their equipment.

"I SAID..." the Skat Back started.

"LET THEM GO!" the Moltres barked from his net. "The agents of the TS were only following orders... TS, return to your barracks."

The Moltres flared, and the fire-proof net suddenly wasn't so fire-proof. He turned and flew up to the window. Giovanni stood back.

"The Golden R REMAINS loyal... to TEAM ROCKET..." it snarled.

The firebird landed next to his second in command. She was still out, as was Fuego. He moved to the Vaporeon that had assisted him first in the attack.

"I did good?" she asked weakly, watery fluid continuing to flow from where the wings had been.

"You did excellent, an honor to the Golden R, Hydron."

The Vaporeon looked up, not expecting the Moltres to know her name. "T-thank you sir..."

"Hikaru, anti-venom here, NOW!" the bird barked. He looked down to find Kinza kneeling beside the Vaporeon, scanning rod in hand.

"Too late, North," he said, reaching down to close Hydron's eyes.

North flared. "Pokémon killing Pokémon? Giovanni has much to answer for..." he snarled.

Kinza pointed a finger at the bird. "Remember your cover, Captain..."

North snapped an angry look at the Tomassamassa at the sound of his rank being stated. He then sighed. Kinza was right.

"What are you doing here anyway?" North finally asked.

"We were coming to bring the Golden R to the battle that's about to happen in Pallet, if it's not underway already..." Kinza said. He looked down at the body at his feet. "Hydron, ea?"

The Moltres nodded.

"Funny thing... my first assignment back home was G.C.S. Hydron... strange... You could never beat that ship… never…"

North looked a Kinza. "You'd better be off to the battle," he said.

Kinza nodded and remounted his Skat Back. North watched him and the two flights fly off.

-----------------------------

Rose heard something she had never heard before. A high, shrilling angry squeal, bitter and definitely meant to warn that something was about to happen.

"HISSSSSSSSSCK!"

"I didn't know Mews hissed!" Charizard said.

"That's the first time I've heard her hiss," Rose said.

Then she noticed... Charizard has spoken.

"PK must be nearby!" Rose yelled up to Ash.

Ash looked down at the red haired woman on his Charizard as she cocked her weapon. "Everyone into the pool!" he shouted back. She smiled, and looked ahead.

Black Lugia turned at the sound of the approaching attack party. He sensed a particular presence that drew his yearning for energy.

"Ah, my benefactor has arrived!" he grinned.

Rose lowered her weapon and looked at Ash. "What?" Ash shrugged, and readied his power staff.

Mew of Level 14 floated only a few yards away from the evil dark blue Lugia, hissing and cursing in Mewspeak.

"MEW!" came a voice from behind Black Lugia. The second Mew appeared.

To either side of the beast floated the MewTwos. M2 kept a wary eye on his Mew, watching her hiss and snarl before the creature.

Below, Natsumi, Myamoto, Jazzy, Jesse and James appeared in a flash of energy.

Sabrina flew up from the back fields where she had fought Black Lugia earlier. "Don't get near the Black Lugia! It's in energy absorption mode! Anything you send at it will be absorbed!" The Legendary Birds began a circle pattern around the evil beast.

The Black Lugia smiled and looked around. "My, what a happy little gathering... All for me?"

"Hisssssck!" the Mew before him growled.

"Ah, my dear, if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be here now!"

"What?" Rose asked, a wave of sudden realization running through her. "Was that why I found you at the labs on Level 14's Orange Islands?" she yelled as Charizard circled above.

The Mew lowered her head, and nodded.

"Oh, Mew..." Rose gasped.

"She REALEASED ME!" the Black Lugia laughed. "RELEASED ME ON YOU ALL!"

The Mew snapped a fevered look upon the evil before her. She grabbed the doorknob around her neck.

"NO!" shouted M2.

Mew yanked the device from her person, parts dropping away slowly. As the unit powered down, the psychics around felt a surge of absolute hatred blast the area around them. The aura around Mew of Level 14 burst wide and violent. The birds were forced to gain altitude to avoid entering the heated storm gathering around the small PokéCat.

M2, MewTwo and the other Mew were tossed back, pained by the psychic hate that was en massing before them.

Black Lugia smiled. "Give it to me, Pokémon... give it to me!"

"NO MEW! NO!" Sabrina shouted, also reeling in pain from the Mew's gathered anger.

The Black Lugia readied itself to gather the free energy it was about to receive. But it suddenly found itself falling backwards, its lower jaw slammed shut by a surprised upper-cut provided by a missile launched from the ground called Jazzy. He then followed it up by kicking the same chin again.

Myamoto approached the venting Mew. "Calm yourself, child... Calm yourself!"

The Mew blinked, and looked at the caring eyes that were pleading to her to calm down.

"It's not your fault," she added.

"Yes, it was..." the Mew said. Myamoto looked at the Mew. That was the first time she had ever heard either of the Mews speak out loud. The Mew turned to head for the monster, but stopped at the sight before her.

Black Lugia had grabbed Jazzy, and was crashing to the ground with a terrible thud.

Jazzy felt his energy sapping away into the beast. It looked up at him, evil swirling in its eyes.

"Think you have me, beast?" Jazzy spat, a grin running across his face. "Think again! This one's for Tina's parents!"

He looked back at Jesse, who was about to run over to the heap on the ground. He shook his head, and she stopped, grabbing James and Natsumi's arms to stop them as well.

He smiled. "Enjoy this, beast! SELF DESTRUCT!"

"JAZZY! NO!" James yelled.

"WHAT!?" Black Lugia barked at the unexpected command, but found himself enveloped in a burst of energy detonating around himself.

"JAZZY!" Jesse shouted, the blast tossing the Spirits back.

"NO!" shouted Ash from above. The explosion was blinding. His Lugia turned its head away from the burst, while Ash's goggles compensated for the glare.

"Damn! It's still there!" he cursed.

"Head's up Twerp!"

Ash turned about. A pair of Red Haunters were swooping in at him. He suddenly had a glossy white cat shaped knight between himself and the pair, and it had just sliced them in half with a brilliant white sword.

Meowth turned and grinned at the young officer.

Ash looked in shock. "Meowth!? What are you doing in that? And how come you're flying?"

"Hey, DA good guys wear white!" he grinned. "Lookit dat!"

Below them, as the blast dust cleared, a prone Black Lugia could be seen. But red ghosts were flying in from all directions, entering the body as it laid there.

"We've got to get it NOW!" Rose shouted. "Go Charizard!"

Rose and Charizard tipped over and began a power dive at the prone body. She raised the Photon Launcher up and began to pump rounds out.

A series of Red Haunters flew up from Black Lugia, swallowing the orbs of energy as they went.

"Hey! Stop that!" she complained.

"ROARRRR!" Charizard belched a wide fireball. The Haunters burst then exploded!

Another burst of light, another release of energy. Charizard was tossed away, Rose knocked off his back. Her Mew took flight away from Myamoto to protect her friend.

Jesse and James stood up and looked over where they last had seen Black Lugia.

"NO!" Jesse yelled.

"Heads up!" James added. "The beast is gone!"

"What!?" Ash yelped, looking down at the spot where the Black Lugia had been, only to see an empty plot.

"You're out of your element, brother!"

Ash looked around the neck of his Lugia. The Black Lugia was right there! White Lugia twisted hard, but could not avoid the stinging swat the Black Lugia gave it with the back of its wing.

"Yeow!" Ash yelped, as he held on for dear life. White Lugia flipped over once, wincing in pain.

Articuno flew in and fired an ice beam at the Black Lugia. But it only drew the beam in, turned, and fired it off at Moltres. The firebird managed to dodge the bursts, and sent its own fireball at the evil dragon-bird. Again, Black Lugia absorbed the energy, and redirected it, this time at the Zapdos, which took a direct hit!

"Hey!" Meowth shouted. "I t'uaght you's could only do dat when you ATE a Pokémon!"

Black Lugia grinned at the pest he had from earlier. "Not when the energy comes from one of my brothers!"

Ash had heard what he didn't want to hear, but knew what was needed. He righted himself, and pulled the com unit out of his pocket again.

"Ketchum to Ashia Base! Ketchum to Ashia Base!"

"Richie here... go ahead Ash..."

White Lugia swung its head back. "Ash, I understand what you're about to do... but only have them recall the ice, fire and lightning birds!"

Ash nodded. "Have Melody recall Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres! Quickly!"

"NO!" bellowed Black Lugia, diving in on Ash and White Lugia.

"Get below him Lugia!" Ash yelled, grabbing his staff and giving it a twist. The staff began to whine.

White Lugia saw what Black Lugia was up to. The target this time was his rider, not himself. He ducked down enough to avoid the talons of the black beast, then came up enough for Ash to jab the probe against its tail.

Black Lugia wasn't ready for this shock, and shrieked in pain. Ash twirled the staff around, flicked a trigger and ejected the spent power cartridge. He quickly inserted another, and charged for another possible run.

Black Lugia turned about, seething in anger. But he turned to see his old nemesis grinning in his face.

"Hi dere!" Meowth said, and promptly fired a pair of plasma bursts at the beast from his right blaster. Black Lugia was flung back further, but Meowth found he was being tossed in circles, since he wasn't firing the blasters in sequence. A third round he fired zoomed past James' head.

"MEOWTH!" James shouted. The cat gave him a sheepish grin.

Black Lugia finally absorbed the second plasma burst, the first one had detonated. It turned, but just in time to see the three Legendary Birds vanish into orbs, then dash away to the west.

"No matter!" it growled. "I'll simply collect them out of order! I know where they live!"

A screeching of tires below announced the arrival of Misty and her troop in Ash's Chevy. "All right people! Get to your stations!" she yelled.

"Hey!" Surge said. "Where's da birds?"

"This isn't the time to worry about... you're right..." Misty said, slowing from a trot to a walk.

"Misty!" Ash shouted. "Don't worry about the birds! Watch for red ghosts! Hurry!"

She nodded, and started to run for the nearby stream that fed the mill that made up the front of Oak's Pokémon Center. "Lapras, Golduck, GO!" she shouted as she tossed her PokéBall.

Lara had her Rapidash and Growlith out searching the bushes for red ghosts already. Blaine had Magmar and Charmeleon standing ready for incoming threats.

Brock tossed three PokéBalls. Two Ninetails appeared - his Pix, and his late wife's Kelvin. The third ball released the Vulpix pup that had been saved.

"Suzy, here!" Brock said. The pup trotted over to her master and climbed into his arms.

"Is that the bad monster, master?" the pup asked Brock.

"Yes... hey wait... PK must be around here!" Brock said.

White Lugia was speeding in at the still slightly stunned Black Lugia, when it blew over Brock's head.

"Hey ASH!" Brock yelled as they passed. "Have you seen PK!?"

Ash was preparing his staff for another jousting match. "No I haven't!" he yelled back. "He's around here somewhere!"

Brock looked over at the research center. "Pix! Kelvin! With me! We'll check out the research center!"

Lt. Surge was the last to deploy his Pokémon. The Raichu and Electabuzz crackled forth.

Black Lugia's senses kicked in. It turned fast, avoiding White Lugia's charge, and towards Surge!

"YO! YO! YO! YO!!" Surge shouted, hitting the ground as the Black behemoth tore overhead.

"Surge! Behind you!" Ash shouted, as White Lugia banked into a hard turn.

Surge looked up from his kissing the earth. "Electabuzz? Raichu?"

"Buzz... Buzz!"

"Raichu? RAICHU?!"

"NO!" came a shout from the wreckage of the windmill. PK suddenly burst from the tower. "NOT ANOTHER ONE!" he shouted, flapping hard following the devil Lugia.

"RAIIIII! RAIIIII!!" could be heard from the Raichu, electric bursts flying about as it dangled from the beast's claws.

Meowth joined in on the chase, PK to the left, himself to the right. He saw how PK was holding his sword straight out ahead of himself, and followed suit.

PK looked over at the cat and nodded. "I'm going to teleport ahead of him... you keep coming up from the rear!"

"Gotcha!" Meowth yelled. He watched PK shimmer then blink out of sight. He pressed himself for more speed.

Nearer... Nearer... He could almost feel the tingle of the Raichu's electric bursts.

Then Black Lugia turned left.

Meowth watched the quick turn, and started to follow. Then he saw PK.

Fortunately, PK saw the turn as well, and ducked. Meowth zoomed past, breaking hard.

Black Lugia was heard laughing as it headed into the clouds.

"No..." PK said, knowing another friend had just perished.

"Where have ya been, kid?" Meowth asked, coming along side PK.

"Black Lugia and I have been fighting it out for the last few hours here..." PK said, breathing hard. "He had me buried in the windmill for some time..."

"I's don't get it," Meowth said. "How come you didn't just teleport out like ya just did?"

"Conserving my energy... I'm working on reserves..." PK bent over, his breathing heavy.

"Hey, are you's alright?"

PK gave an unpersuasive nod. "Yea, I still need to gather my strength back... Come on... we've got to warn them..."

"Don't worry... I'll get the news to 'um!" Meowth said, dashing back towards the Pokémon center.

PK looked up at the clouds. He began to climb up into them.

The sun was coming up, but the sound of a thunderstorm was starting to rage behind Meowth.

"Da nasty beast ATE da Raichu!" he shouted.

Sabrina nodded. "Then it's become a target again."

White Lugia and Ash drew up along side Sabrina and Natsumi as they flew up for a quick meeting. Jesse and James followed.

"What do you mean a target again?" Ash asked.

"Black Lugia will have absorbed the powers of the Raichu... it's taken in the energy of the ghosts... It will no longer be in absorption mode..."

"Or at least, you HOPE that it's no longer in absorption mode!" Ash added.

Natsumi nodded. "True... we are currently on an unknown time-line. Events are new, and have not been recorded before."

"An' I don't know just how well da Pikachu is either," Meowth added. "He said he was buried in da windmill... excuse me, but I'd t'ink someone wit' all his powers would'a been outa dere in a snap!"

Sabrina looked around at the damage inflicted about. "It looks as if they were at it for some time before we arrived... PK may have had some of his energy siphoned off by Black Lugia..."

Meowth cocked his head at the psychic. "I hope dat's all it was, lady... I never t'aught I'd say dis, but dat rodent's got me worried!"

Ash leaned over to Meowth. "Did I see him wearing armor and wings?"

A Skat Back interrupted them as it arrived and drew in to hover next to the gathered crowd. As the canopy was slid forward, a computer could be heard inside squawking "T-Minus-15 minutes... MARK!"

"Kinza, is that the countdown we're working against?" Ash yelled over to the Tomassamassa.

"Yea... We've got to get this over with in the next, I'd say, 10 minutes, otherwise, it will be moot!"

"But it just said 15 minutes!" James said.

Kinza shook his head. "We need a 5 minute buffer... I can't guarantee just how quickly we'll be able to get our message to them! I've committed all but one of my ships to this mission. You see that little bright dot up there?" he said, pointing at a bright speck in the sky. "WHEN we get this critter, that ship's duty is to tell Forrestal."

The speck suddenly burst.

"Oh frack..." Kinza said.

"I t'ink we just found where old B-L went ta!" Meowth said.

Misty watched Lapras put up a freezing mist along side the stream. Golduck stepped about, carefully sensing the area for any unknowns. It had been a while since it had evolved from the bumbling Psyduck, but it still acted a touch foolish from time to time. Right now, it was acting the detective. And with PK about somewhere, Misty could hear it.

"You'sh see, ma'am, the trick to detective work is ta always keep your eye on the job... always stay in focus, never get distracted!" He then shot a psychic burst, and a red Gastly bounded out of a bush and vaporized.

"Golduck, you're nuts!" Misty said. "Keep it up!"

"Now observe... my keen observational skills tells me dat behind dis bush is a spirit, a cat and a young woman!" it said, pulling the shrubbery aside.

"ROSE!" Misty yelped, rushing over to the prone girl. Mew sat on the ground, cradling Rose's head, and cooing. Myamoto sat beside her, tending to young girl's wounds.

"What happened? We just arrived..."

Mya shook her head. "She got blown away by her own photon charges... No idea what became of the Charizard she had been riding..."

"Charizard! Golduck, find Charizard!"

"Aye aye, ma'am!" it said in a Donald Duck voice then scampered off.

"What is wrong with your Golduck?" Myamoto asked.

"Too many shots to the head as a Psyduck I think... what's her condition?"

"I can't tell... I'm not a doctor... But she does have a broken arm, and possible broken right leg... She needs treatment, but..." She looked about herself at the carnage.

"Yea," Misty said, knowing what she meant.

"Now Mew..." Mya said to the cat protecting her friend's head, "I know you blame yourself for all this..." - she flashed Misty a 'Don't ask now' look - "but I need you to stay and protect Rose.

"I am to blame, that's why I must end this!" the Mew said. Misty stared in shock at the voice of Mew, pained and sad as it was. The joy was missing from the calm and placid little mews it had done before.

"No... you must stay," a voice from behind said. M2 walked from behind the bush. "By destroying your doorknob, you have prevented the psychics from being fully capable of functioning. You MUST stay here and protect the young lady in your charge... Please."

The Mew lowered her head, and nodded sadly.

Behind them, a thunderbolt ripped the ground. Power surges sparked around. The Lapras, floating in the water, received a shock that caused it to skitter across the grass of the stream's bank. It passed out near Misty.

Nearby, three Skat Backs landed, smoking badly from their engines. This wasn't going to be as easy as they thought.

Black Lugia swooped down through the large gathering, shocking and zapping anything that got in its way. PK followed behind, sword flashing in the morning's early light.

Kinza stabilized his ship. He read scanner reports, and looked at the black monster. "Well, I've got some good news, if you want to call it that..."

"What's that?" Ash asked, preparing to follow PK.

"It may have eaten that Raichu and gained its powers, but it doesn't have the voltage!"

"What's that mean? Standard thundershock?"

"I can handle that" James said.

"Years of practice!" Jesse added.

Kinza shook his head. "Other than those shots given to the Skat Backs, yea, standard Raichu class Thundershocks."

"We'd best get to wearing him down then!" White Lugia said.

"Let's do it, partner!" Ash said, reactivating his staff.

Kinza felt a thud on his starboard wing. He looked over and saw PK, panting and huffing.

"PK, you don't look very well!" he said to the angel.

"Don't worry about me... I just noticed... has anyone seen Gary Oak?"

"What about Gary?" Ash asked, finally seeing his Pikachu in his full battle armor.

"He showed up just before I got tossed into the windmill, and sicced his Arcanines on the Lugian ghosts that were about...

"How would he have gotten here before me?" Sabrina asked PK.

"Huh... I don't know, Sabi... huh... All I know is he was here, fighting Red Ghosts." PK held onto the laser emitter on the side of the Skat Back. Kinza looked at him, and check some scans onboard.

"The last I saw him, he was riding his largest Arcanine away from the tower in Lavender." Ash said, watching the movements of Black Lugia, who had a pair of Skat Backs chasing him.

"I read a pair of Arcanines back in Pallet," Kinza said, reading his aft scanner. "They're near each other... Far end of town"

Ash whirled around. "I live on the far end of town!"

"No Ash!" Sabrina said. "You're needed here. I'll go check... MewTwo! Mew! Are you available?!"

MewTwo and Mew, recovering from Mew of Level14's psychic burst, flew skywards to Sabrina. The threesome headed for the other end of town.

"RED GHOSTS! TO MEEE!" the Black Lugia bellowed again after managing to knock another pair of Skat Backs from the sky.

"Monotonous, ain't he?" Kinza said. "Go get 'im kid!" he said to Ash, who nodded, and was off with White Lugia.

Kinza turned to PK, who was still panting next to him on his wing. "How long have you been in this form, mister? You know you have a time-limit!"

PK gave him a pained look. "Don't you think I know that?"

Kinza shook his head. "You're degrading, PK. You've gone beyond the limits of your standing. You may be an Archangel, but only a 3rd class one, with a limited license!"

PK gave a little laugh. "You're starting to sound like my boss..."

"You never know... He may be putting words in my mouth!" Kinza said.

PK shook his head then patted the beam emitter of the laser. "Charge this thing, will you?"

Kinza looked at him. "What?"

"Charge your laser!" PK yelled.

Kinza threw a few switches. "I hope you know what you're doing, PK..."

PK looked at the Tomassamassa. "Black Lugia isn't the only one who can absorb energy..."

The emitter glowed slightly. PK pressed his left cheek power sack to the emitter, and felt the power of the gun flow into himself.

Kinza watch his readings, making sure the Pikachu didn't over draw his system, and that he didn't over do the output.

"Whoa!" Meowth said. "Incoming ghosts! An' I mean GHOSTS!"

"Oh no! I thought that one was blown to bits!" Kinza heard James say. He looked out over his port side and saw the huge Haunter, and ANOTHER ONE behind it!

"I guess rocket motors aren't strong enough to burst those ghosts!" he said.

"Well, you did say they were immune to fire when gathered like that!" Natsumi said. "Where did the second one come from?"

"When the ghosts gathered in the hall! Remember?" James said, snapping a finger.

"They were getting ready for the blast like the first Huge Haunter!" Jesse added.

"Da foist one's MINE!" Meowth said, streaking towards the huge red collective.

"MEOWTH! BE CAREFUL!" Kinza shouted, but he knew the cat was moving away too fast for him to hear. Jesse and James looked back at him.

"Remember when I scanned the first one?" he explained to them again. "They're HOT inside!"

Black Lugia saw the two large Haunters below, and the streaking white ceramic cat heading for the first one. "NOOOO! VERRRMIN!" he hollered, then dove towards the second Haunter.

"Don't let Black Lugia get to the Haunters!" Ash yelled.

"Hang on!" White Lugia said, and dove in to follow the beast.

The white missile that was Meowth placed both paws on the sword, holding it ahead of himself. A pair of lightning strikes dropped on either side of him. A glance up gave him a view of the Black Lugia descending on him. He pressed his speed forwards.

The Haunter, as huge as a house, slowly turned towards Meowth, and opened its maw. Meowth dove down below the mouth, then up through the body of the creature.

"OOOH! Dis is a HOT one!" Meowth yelped. He looked at the sword. The metal part was starting to turn cherry red. "Hoo hoo! Smokin'! T'ink I'll cool t'ing off a bit!" he said, as he headed for the other side of the mass.

Meowth exited the ghost, his armor also glowing red. He pointed down into the gap he made in the collective and shouted "FREEZE DRY!"

A burst of cold windy ice blew into the hole, as did Meowth's ceramic gauntlet, which couldn't stand the rapid change from hot to cold.

But, then again, neither could the Haunter.

Black Lugia dove into the second massive Haunter, just as the first collective erupted into a massive fiery explosion! Meowth, caught in the blast, was tossed out of sight. Blasting off for old time's sake!

"Pull up! PULL UP!" Ash yelled, watching the fireball billow up from below.

White Lugia, reared back, and fired a stream of water into the flames, steam cleaning Ash.

"I'm glad you showed me that..." Ash said, the fog blinding his goggles.

"Sorry," the Lugia said.

"Everyone attack!" was heard from below. Lara Laramie was having her Rapidash and Growliths firing flames into the massive ghost. Blaine followed close behind with his Magmar and Charmeleon.

From above, Natsumi, Jesse and James came in, tossing orbs of psychic energy at the top of the ghost. They seemed to be doing more than the fire, which the trainers didn't know would be harmless to the collective.

"YEEEHAW!" came a shout from behind Jesse and James. They managed to get a glance in before they were sent spinning away from each other. Charizard was back, this time being ridden by Misty's Golduck, which aimed a hyper-beam squarely into the ghost.

"Electabuzz! GO!" Surge shouted, eager to get his shot at the beast that had taken his favorite Raichu.

"B-B-B-B-B-B-BUZZZZZZ!" it shouted, sending in a shower of lightning.

Ash twirled his staff. "Take us in!" he told his mount.

White Lugia dove in, as bursts of psychic energy were sent pounding into the Haunter by M2 in rapid succession.

Ash reared back, and hurled the spear end into the Haunter. White Lugia pulled up out of the dive.

"RAAAAAAAAARRRR!" exploded from inside the ghost. Ash looked back, and saw that the massive Haunter was starting to shrink like a deflating balloon.

"Look it that!" Lara said. "I think we got it!"

M2 strode beside her. "No... It's absorbing the energy of the Haunter. PRESS ON!"

M2 erupted into a shower of psychic burst, orbs hurling into the Haunter, segmenting chunks and pieces of the creature, releasing smaller ghosts from the collective.

"Rapidash, Growliths! Take out them ghosts!" Lara ordered.

"You heard the lady," Blaine said to his Magmar and Charmeleon.

"Pix! Kelvin! Ghost hunting!" Brock yelled, running up from the buildings.

"Did you find anything?" Blaine asked him as he watched his Pokémon work.

Brock shook his head. "All those years of work... it's mostly gone... Poor Professor Oak..."

"Ah! Lookit' that!" Surge said. The trainers looked at their target.

Black Lugia's legs appeared from under the ghost as it continued to shrink. Then the wings, the tail, and finally, Black Lugia's head, a pair of yellow energy sacks glowing under its eyes.

Kinza read his scanners. "PK, are you nearly done?"

"AH!" he said, taking his power sack off the emitter. "Oh..." he said, a touch dizzy. "What's up..."

"We've got a big problem... a 10 terawatt problem..."

PK looked down, felt dizzy, and fell to one knee.

Kinza looked over at the angel. "This is not good..."

Black Lugia reared up. The fire and psychic bursts were striking an outer field of energy. As it stood, it looked over at a spear that had embedded itself in his shoulder, and pulled it out with great pain.

"RRRRRAAAAAARRR!!" it shouted. "Where are you human!?" it growled.

"POUR IT ON, PEOPLE!" Surge shouted. His Electabuzz was dispensing all it could. Lara's Pokémon were obviously starting to fade, and Blaine's pair were just keeping up. The Golduck seemed unstoppable, firing hyper-beam after hyper-beam. Brock's Ninetails continued to dance about, tossing flames, still fresh to the battle.

"Okay Lugia," Ash told his ride, "Let's see if some of my pre-planning works..."

"Do it," White Lugia said, circling above.

"Ash to Squirtle!" Ash keyed into his com unit.

Down below, Ash's Squirtle sat squat against a tree stump near Black Lugia, a doorknob device around its neck, keeping it protected from notice by psychics, and hopefully, ghosts. He was wearing a headset communicator and had his Squirtle Squad glasses on his face.

"We're in position, Ash!" he said in a gravely voice, which surprised even himself at first. "Whoa! Neat!"

"Send him in!" Ash said into his ear.

Squirtle jogged out from the edge of the woods, reared back, and like a good Pokémon Trainer, tossed a PokéBall under the energy field of Black Lugia's. The ball landed between the creature's feet, and deposited Bulbasaur, who also was wearing a doorknob.

Lara saw what had happened. But M2 stepped in front of her, continuing his own onslaught. "Don't say a thing, human! Don't give the beast away!"

The sounds of the battle, the energy dispensed against the shield, hid the Grass Pokémon from Black Lugia's notice. But Black Lugia was getting tired of the foolishness of this attack against him. It leaned down and squinted.

"Dream Eater!" it grinned.

Blaine heard the command. "Psychics! We need a Mirror Wave! NOW!!" he shouted.

A pink streak dashed in front of the gathered attackers, Myamoto in close pursuit.

"Mew! MEW, COME BACK HERE!" Myamoto was heard, as she followed behind.

"Mew?" M2 said, in shock that his Mew was attacking the evil creature again.

The energy formed rapidly in front of Black Lugia for the Dream Eater attack, then launched away.

Mew encircled herself with an energy orb as she saw the field heading for her. Myamoto saw it as well. Having seen the defenders, the living breathing humans and Pokémon behind her, she instantly changed from chasing the wayward cat, to assisting her. She too formed an energy orb around herself, and followed Mew... into the wave.

"MEW!" M2 yelled.

"MYA!" Natsumi echoed.

The Dream Eater wave suddenly stopped its forward flight, turned to one side, and was launched skywards, the two energy orbs rocketing it away. It started to vanish, as did the orbs. Finally, there was nothing left.

Kinza looked at the readings of his scanner. "That's two more..."

PK, now partly restored, turned an angry stare on the beast below, and took flight. But he gained altitude until he was only a bright spot in the morning sky.

-----------------------------

Sabrina, MewTwo and Mew flew across the town of Pallet. Smoke and flames could be seen spread across town. But something was wrong. Sabrina stopped..

"What?" MewTwo asked.

"Look," she said, a burning house below.

"Smoke and flames..." he said, then noticed, "...unmoving smoke and flames!"

"Is it me, or has someone called a time out?" Sabrina asked.

"Humm," MewTwo said. "That's a spirit's trick..."

"MEW!"

A waive of energy swept over them. Below, the fire began to burn normally again.

MewTwo dropped his head then looked back up the hill. "Two more... a Spirit, and the other Mew..."

They watched the fire rage for a few moments. Then it stopped again.

"Interesting... one of the other spirits has taken over..." MewTwo said.

"Come on," Sabrina said, "before we loose any more..."

-----------------------------

The area around Black Lugia was suddenly quiet. Everyone had watched the sacrifice the two warriors had made, and had stopped fighting for the moment. Black Lugia grinned as he watched the results. But...

"Bulba bulba bulba bulba!"

What was that?

"HYPER SOLAR BEAM!" the Bulbasaur between his legs yelled.

No shielding, no protection. The monster took the brunt of the natural energy force from underneath. It jumped, and tripped, falling flat on its face.

"Get him out of there Squirtle!" Ash yelled into his com unit.

"Bulbasaur, return!" Squirtle yelped, holding the PokéBall aloft. Bulbasaur, still laughing at what he had done, dematerialized. Squirtle jogged a few yard to a clear spot, and retreated into his shell. With that, a Pidgeot flew in and removed the Turtle Pokémon.

"Our turn!" White Lugia shouted, and landed squarely on the back of Black Lugia.

"What are you doing!?" the Black Lugia yelled.

"I have been told that your ultimate goal in all the dimensions you have destroyed is to eat the local Lugia... it is MY plan to show you how that feels, evil creature!"

"I have always looked into the FACE of my vanquished!" it bellowed. "Are you afraid to do the same?"

"Then turn and look at me, beast," White Lugia said. "I am not about to let you turn over...

"I would not allow him to do that either, Lugia..." M2 said, seething in a red glow. "He still has the power sacks of the Raichu."

"Yes, I do..." the Black evil said, firing the beams at M2. M2 hardly managed to shield himself, as the wattage overwhelmed him, sending him crashing through the trainers and Pokémon.

White Lugia reared back, mouth agape to strike the terminal blow on the evil beast. But rearing back allowed its weight to shift, and Black Lugia swung its wing up, and clobbered the dragon-bird off its back.

"All Skat Backs, ATTACK!" Kinza shouted, sliding his canopy shut.

The six remaining ships flew in quick sorties peppering the area around the Black Lugia with lasers and plasma bolts. The three remaining Spirits joined in, lobbing bolt after bolt of energy at the beast.

Black Lugia took flight again, and headed straight for the Spirits.

James found himself tumbling away, as the creature flew over. He looked about. Jesse was missing. So was Sabrina, er, Natsumi!

"JAMES!" he heard from above. He looked up in horror.

Jesse was in Black Lugia's right claw, Natsumi was in the left. James did a quick teleport.

Black Lugia tagged two of the Skat Backs with a near terawatt discharge then damaged another pair by swatting them with a heavy thud of its wing on their wings.

"Stop SHOOTING AT US, you IDIOTS!" Jesse hollered at the Skat Backs, as they pressed their attack. Plasma Bolts had sizzled her twice, and she wasn't thrilled by a possible third time.

Much to the evil Lugia's surprise, James appeared directly in front of him, holding his hands up to frame his face.

"Hummm... ugly mug! Have a donut!" he said.

James flared in an ultra-bright strobe. Stunned, Black Lugia reared back, releasing his captured Spirits. James turned quickly to dash away.

But Black Lugia recovered too quickly, looked ahead, and fired a terawatt.

To James, the world seemed to slow to a stop. He had felt shocks many times before, but this... this one tore into him like no other before. All he could think of was the words "CHUUUUU!" and "PIKACHUUUUUU!" being yelled over and over again. What a way to go...

"JAMES!" Jesse shrieked. She was low on energy herself, drained by the Black Lugia while in its clutches. But she righted herself, and threw all she could into a final Banshee wail.

The winds blew up around Black Lugia, catching him off guard, sending him tumbling. It also caught the Skat Backs off guard as well, doing much the same to them as the Lugia. Two of them struck one another in the chaos. Both damaged earlier, they now were forced to land, leaving only one Skat Back fully operational.

Kinza slid his canopy open from his downed craft. He looked back at the rookie Skat Back, hovering behind him, trying to stay aloft in the buffeting winds.

"Clear the area, Ensign!" he barked into his com. "We'll need you as a com to Forrestal!"

The Skat Back backed away into the woods. "Interesting maneuver..." Kinza thought. He then turned to watch Jesse's wrath play out on the Black Lugia. "This has been the LONGEST 10 minutes I've ever seen!" he said to himself, glancing at his chronometer... then again. It read T-Minus-14.15.

"We... we timed out the area..." the voice of James said next to him.

"JIMMY!" Kinza said, looking at the well fried ex-Rocket. "My, you look... toasty!"

He panted and smiled. "I've lived through worse!" he smiled.

Kinza laughed. But then he looked hard at James, and put his finger beside his mouth. He pulled it back and examined it.

"What?" James asked, still breathing hard.

Kinza turned his light gray finger towards James, and showed the crimson color. "That's blood, son..."

"Blood?" James said.

Kinza slapped James on the left arm.

"Ow!" he said, giving Kinza an angry look, which quickly changed to a shocked look.

"Hey, Pinocchio... You're a real boy!" Kinza said with a grin.

James' eyes turned to pinpoints. "I'm going to Pokémon World!"

Kinza laughed. "Who was holding the time-jump?"

James looked at Kinza. "After Myamoto fell, I was..."

Kinza did a double-take to James. The chronometer was still holding. Odd...

Ash and White Lugia held to the ground, unable to launch because of the vortex Jesse was keeping on the beast. Above, energizing himself in the sunlight, PK looked down for his target. The target felt the presence of the Pikachu, and knew it needed to release itself of the wind and torrent.

"ENOUGH!" it shouted, sending wave after wave of lightning about the area around Jesse, until a beam hit close enough to get both Spirits that were below him.

"GO! GO! GO!" shouted Ash, as the wind slowed. He had retrieved his staff and was charging it for another chance at the Black evil above them.

Black Lugia watched the Spirits hit the ground. But as it watched, a hyper-beam struck its back. He swung around, a swatted Golduck clear of Charizard's back. Charizard tumbled away, but recovered fast enough to avoid striking the ground.

"Golduck!" Misty cried, watching her Pokémon vanish into the distance. Black Lugia turned a glare on her.

"Uh oh..." she said.

"I feel a bit, hungry!" the beast said, as it headed for her.

Misty reached down, and grabbed Rose's Photon Launcher. "Right! Come and get it!"

Misty pumped two rounds out, not expecting the recoil the gun gave. But both rounds flew true, and struck the beast square in the chest.

It looked up from the blast, injured, and angry.

"You will die for that human!" it snarled, the energy sack under its eyes sizzling.

"NOO!" shouted Ash, leaping from his Lugia's back, and landing on the Black Lugia's back, stabbing it with the charged probe ends of the staff.

The shock of the staff surprised Black Lugia, who discharged its sacks skywards, striking the White Lugia as it climbed out of its dive.

Ash watched the dragon-bird twist into a dive, crashing to the ground near Misty. Anger flowed throughout his soul, as he took the staff and started to bash the Black Lugia over the head with it.

"Human, you begin to annoy me!" the dark blue clone growled.

"I haven't even begun!" Ash yelled back, spinning the staff, and jabbing it into the back of Black Lugia.

It reared up, screaming a horrible shout of pain heard clear across the valley. Sabrina and the psychic cats looked back at the hill.

They stood in front of the Ketchum house. On either side of the property were a pair of Arcanine statues, frozen in the time-jump. At the fence, a Mr. Mine was making a force wall that MewTwo removed to pass through. He found it odd that the Mime was looking back at the house while at work on the wall. Then again, so was one of the Arcanines.

On the porch, May Oak was seen with a broom in her hands, rearing back in a swing. Mrs. Ketchum was kneeling down, caring for a prone body. It was hidden by the blackened form of the largest Arcanine in the middle of the front yard.

"Well... we found Gary..." Sabrina said.

He was lying with his head in Mrs. Ketchum's lap. His lower legs were blackened, as was his left hand. Sabrina kneeled down and started a psychic chant, energizing the blackened sections.

"Odd," the MewTwo said, "that the ghosts did not attack the bodies of the beasts while they were in this time-jump state..."

"They probably don't seem like living things to them... No!" Sabrina said, a spark of realization striking her. "No! They don't emit an energy signature when frozen in time!"

Mew looked down on her. "We do..." it said in a psychic thought.

MewTwo looked around himself and sensed what he had dreaded. Red Ghosts were still around, and they were gathering to attack the nearest energy signature they could find.

-----------------------------

The pain that ran through Black Lugia's back was excruciating. Ash was using the stuck staff as a handle to hang on for dear life. But Black Lugia dove. Ash found himself lifting off the back of the beast. A poor position to be in.

Black Lugia spun, sending Ash flying. He then was struck by the backhand of Black Lugia's left wing. Then it added a shot from its electric sacks. Ash fell.

"ASH!!" screamed Misty.

Charizard dove in, capturing the falling body on its back, and flew into the trees.

"NOOOOOO!!!" was shouted from above.

Black Lugia looked behind and above him. Silhouetted against the sun was a pair of wings and a sword.

"I was wondering where you had gone," the evil beast snarled. "I thought you may have run tail back to your master!"

"That was my master, beast!" PK said. "In the name of my brother, in the name of my friends, my relations, my world... In the name of all the lives you have destroyed... I will end your terror once and for all!"

"Big words..." the Lugia grinned. "Come! I will absorb your energy, and become more powerful than God!"

PK smiled. "No one is more powerful than my boss!"

Black Lugia frowned. "Let's find out!" It then launched its strongest burst of energy at the winged mouse.

PK dove below the burst then flew in at Black Lugia, sword pointing out ahead of him.

Below, riding Charizard's back, Ash, barely able to see, reached up. The sight he saw moved in slow motion, a dreadful sight that seemed to run on forever. "Pikachu, no..." he said.

Black Lugia opened it maw, readying for a feast of Archangel.

PK ducked the head. He plummeted into Black Lugia's chest.

The beast shuddered. It froze in mid space, unable to move.

PK felt himself waning within the evil, his energy nearly gone. He clung to the sword as it dragged him through the massive beast. He saw his arms begin to fade. He smiled, remembering his life, and his friends. He closed his eye, and faded further.

"Goodbye Ash..."

Ash watched the sword emerge from the other side of Black Lugia trailing a shimmering tail of light. It flew across the field and impaled itself into a tree trunk.

"No..." Ash said before passing out.

Misty stood alone. Above her, Black Lugia laughed. The feeling that swept through her at that moment froze her blood.

"I... I am still... I am still here..." the devilish monster said. "UH!" it shouted.

From within itself, Black Lugia felt a sting of energy. From above, in a nearly cloudless sky, a bolt of lightning struck the staff in its back.

"DOWN!" Brock yelled, running up from Misty's left and pushing her to the ground.

Zapdos flew by, electrifying the staff as it went. A pair of Moltres flew in, torching the stiffened body. Finally, Articuno blasted it into an icy mass. Black Lugia fell from the sky.

It struck the ground, shattering into shards of blue black segments. Fuego dove in and applied the coup de grâce, with a Fire Rage attack.

Kinza watched the flames burning as a Moltres with glasses landed beside him. A quick wink, and the bird of fire reverted to human form, dropping North on Kinza's Skat Back's damaged wing.

"How... the time jump?" Kinza said.

North smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Kinza... The Stratus League can circumvent any simple time jump!" North then looked over at James. "Well, Mr. Kojiro! Welcome back to the living!"

"You mean, I really am alive again?" James asked, looking over the Skat Back at the scientist across from him.

North nodded. "When you placed yourself in front of Black Lugia to stop it from harming Jesse and Natsumi, you earned your life back right there."

James smiled then looked back over his shoulder. "But what about Jesse?"

"Why not ask her?" North said, pointing over at James' wife, who was standing up finally. He jumped off the wing and bounded over to her, grabbing her, and spinning her around, a kiss keeping her from asking any silly questions.

"But..." Kinza mused, "...who's keeping the time jump up?"

North smiled, and placed a finger up to his mouth. He then pointed over at James.

Kinza stared. "He still has his powers?"

North nodded. "Some... Just enough to keep those like the TS from causing any trouble for them in the future."

"Jesse too?" Kinza asked.

Again North nodded. "Unfortunately, it means they won't be able to have any kids..."

Kinza looked back at North. "Aw nuts... wasn't that one of the reasons for helping us?"

North looked at the ground and nodded again. He felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked up and saw Natsumi.

"I wouldn't worry about that..." she said. "I know a little girl who looks up to James. Jesse might just have to get used to another rival in their lives."

"How are you doing Sabi?" North asked.

"Right about now, relieved," she said, looking down the valley towards the back of town.

MewTwo stood his ground, readying to defend the trio from the oncoming Red Haunters.

But then the Haunters stopped. Then, they turned purple.

"Haw haw?" the lead Haunter asked, a whitish cloud of energy leaving its body. MewTwo looked at Sabrina.

"The Black Lugia has been destroyed," she smiled, watching the energy return to Gary and the Arcanine.

Meanwhile, back up on the hill...

Crunch... crunch...crunch...

North sat up. "I hear walking china!" he said.

"Ha ha," Meowth said. "Do's you know how HEAVY dis stuff is when ya's can't fly? What gives?"

Natsumi leaned down and gave Meowth a kiss on the cheek. "Life, Meowth! Life!"

"Speaking of which..." Kinza said. "Skat Back 2, inform Forrestal, quickly!"

-----------------------------

"10 seconds," Tolefson said. "9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - engage!"

The helmsman pushed the yolk forward with one hand, and pushed a main engine telegraph ahead. The sound of the mains powering up rumbled throughout the bridge, as he calmly returned his right hand to the yolk.

Before him, a flight screen showed his angle of attack.

"Steady as she goes," Captain Strom said, glancing over at his second in command, who was glued to a communications station.

"30 seconds to drop," Tolefson continued to report. "Standing by on explosive bolts..."

"Thank you..." Strom said.

Mr. Button looked up from the com station and shook his head.

"It's been real, guys," Strom said.

"Favoo!" Tolefson added.

Strom laughed.

"15 seconds..."

"Skat Back 2 to Forrestal, Skat Back 2 to Forrestal..." crackled the radio.

Strom dropped his head on his console. "Take us up, Mr. Tolefson!" he said, before the radio could say "Mission accomplished."

Tolly smiled, and eased the yolk back up, bringing the ship out of its dive and out of the high atmosphere.

"So tell me," the helmsman cracked, drawing Forrestal away from the planet, "is there a term for what we're doing now?"

Button and Strom looked at one another.

"Honorable retreat?" Button said.

"Run away! Run away!" Strom added with a laugh.

Forrestal moved on, a small Skat Back along side, heading to retrieve her crew.

-----------------------------

"So... where's da mouse?" Meowth asked.

Kinza looked down, then looked behind the Skat Back at the tree the sword of PK's had impacted. Meowth followed his look and walked over. He stared at the sword, giving it a little tug.

"So, where is he?" he asked again.

Kinza gave Meowth an incredulous look.

"Oh..." Meowth said, touching the sword.

"Kinza! Medikit!" the Tomassamassa heard. He reached behind his seat and pulled his emergency pack and jumped out of his ship, heading over to Brock and Misty, who were taking Ash off Charizard's back.

Kinza had a scanning rod out before he even got to Ash's side. "Ah, you're lucky you took that shot while in the air, son... Feeling numb?"

Ash shuddered. "C-cold..."

"Why would he be lucky to get electrocuted while in the air?" Misty asked, a bit miffed, and wondering why as well.

"Simple electrical physics," Kinza said, administering a spray to a burnt section of Ash's shoulder.

"He wasn't grounded!" James said, looking down at his former foe.

"The old Been There - Done That, James?" Brock said, smiling at the former Rocket.

"Ohh! Look!" Misty said, watching the winged Flareon land nearby. He walked along side North, as he approached the gathering to assist. Its wings vanished, much to Misty's surprise.

"Hate to tell you this son, and you're probably not going to like it, the way you feel right now, but you're gonna survive," North said, using Kinza's scanning rod to read the young officer's stats.

"You're right... I hurt..." Ash said the pain obvious in his voice.

"Good," North said jokingly. "Now you'll know better than to do THAT again!"

Ash gave a weak smile. "Lugia!" he said. "What about Lugia?"

"I am still here, son..." it said, its large gray-white head appearing over top the heads of everyone looking down at him. "You did well... again. I am proud of you... of your team..."

Ash nodded slightly. "Pikachu? What about..."

North looked beside himself. Fuego stepped aside and allowed Meowth to come to Ash's side.

"Here kid... after all... he was yer Pokémon..." Meowth said, laying PK's sword in Ash's hand.

He looked at Meowth. The cat covered his face, not wanting to let the Twerp see him crying.

"Flare... Flare, flare... flare, flare..." Fuego quietly said. North nodded.

"What did he say?" Kinza asked.

Brock and Misty looked at Meowth expecting him to translate.

"He said that as long as there's just a piece of a Spirit or an Angel left, they are not completely gone, and may return," North said. Meowth looked back at the scientist, a look of surprise on his face.

Ash looked at the sword, and broke down and wept.

-----------------------------

It was a week after the Black Lugia was destroyed. The Stratus League had been restored to its inter-dimensional zone, and the starships were assessing the overall damages to the continuum. Early assessments showed that when the Black Lugia was destroyed, many of the dimensional levels leading back to Level 6.4 were partly restored. Forrestal and Exeter were now attempting to assist in the restoration. They would be busy for a while.

Professor Oak had earlier finished a memorial service in Field 24. He spoke eloquently about gains and losses. Gains, as in the knowledge that they have friends around if needed in the Stratus League, and that not all Team Rocket was bad. The losses were quite obvious. Many people and Pokémon were lost, including members of the teams sent to rid them of Black Lugia.

"We honor these people, these Pokémon, with markers here in Field 24. In this odd war, some of our honored... missing... already have markers in this cemetery. Some came from different dimensions all together to protect us all. We honor them here today..."

Kinza stepped forward with a PADD and began to read out names.

"James Kojiro of Level 6.4, father of Rose Kojiro... Lost in action defending his family..."

Rose smiled. Kinza told her that he added someone special to the list for her.

"Jesse Musashi, Leader, Team Rocket, Level 14... Lost in action...

"20 Pokémon, Attack Team 1... Lost in action in first... Official... attempt against Black Lugia...

"Susan Alberta Takeshi, Prime Level, mother of Stacey and William... Lost protecting her family in the Battle of Scissors Street..."

Brock looked stone faced. He glanced back at the bottom of the field, where his children played with the younger Pokémon. Pink Lady was keeping guard, as usual. Interesting that this Spirit was still with them.

"Aero Oak... Pidgeotto... Angel Spirit... Lost in Action at the Battle of Scissors Street... Awarded Pokémon League Medal of Valor and the Stratus Cross for Heroism and Valor..."

Fuego looked up. Maybe...

"Thomas, Maggie, Billy, Muffy and Growlie Pritchard, family of Tina Pritchard, lost in the battle of Level 4.6."

Tina wasn't listening. She was having too much fun mussing up James' hair, while sitting on his shoulders.

"Jazzy, Spirit, Level 3... Lost in action in the defense of Prime Level... Awarded the Stratus Cross for Heroism and Valor and the Team Rocket Medal of Honor..."

Jesse scratched behind the ear of Jazzy's restored Arcanine, who wore the Medals Kinza spoke of.

"Raichu Machisu, Prime Level... Lost in defense of Prime Level... Awarded Pokémon League Medal of Valor..."

Lt. Surge snapped to and saluted Kinza, who returned the salute.

"Myamoto... also known as MayamotoTwo... Spirit, Level 1.2... Lost in action in defense of Prime Level... Awarded the Stratus Cross for Heroism and Valor... Let it be known that a clone DOES have a soul..."

Arcanine rubbed his nose into Jesse's arm, knocking the Medal pinned to her dress.

"Mew of Level 14... Lost in action in defense of the Prime Level... Awarded Pokémon League Medal of Valor..."

Rose dropped her head and began to weep, Mew's Medal in her hands. Aunt Sabrina rubbed her shoulder to calm her. M2 stood nearby, a sad look on his face.

"Bucky Ketchum, Angel Spirit, Pikachu... Lost in the battle of Level 4.6... Awarded the Stratus Cross of Heroism and Valor..."

"Bucky!" Tina squealed from James' mount. He grinned sheepishly at the outburst.

"Hydron, Vaporeon, and her master Derek Kojiro, The Golden R, in defense of Prime Level, the battle of Silph Company... Both awarded the Team Rocket Award of Merit, and the Stratus Cross for Heroism and Valor...

"Skat Back Pilots Lieutenant Trisha Petty - Battle of Scissors Street... Lieutenants Edward Mosely and Grof Peterson, Battle of Level 4.6... Lieutenant Commander Ginny Rutherford, and Lieutenant Kelly Irwin... in defense of the Prime Level... all awarded the United Nations Distinguish Service Medal and Stratus Cross of Heroism and Valor...

"And finally... Pikachu Ketchum... Angel Spirit, Prime Level... Ahem... excuse me... In defense of the Prime Level... For going above and beyond duty, his rank has been elevated to First Class, unlimited... Awarded Stratus Cross of Heroism and Valor, Pokémon League Medal of Valor with Clusters and Oaks for Superior Performance..."

Kinza closed the PADD. "And let us not forget all those lost in the battles of Scissors Street, the Silph Company and the town of Pallet, and those lost on the dimensions prior to the attack on this one... may we have a moment of silence..."

-----------------------------

Ayako and Fuego were resting on the hill that made up Field 24 after the service. Fuego kept looking over at Aero's marker. He had not heard his voice since the battle ended at headquarters. Had he lost him? He wasn't sure. He had listened in earlier to Gary Oak explaining how some voice had come to him while he raced towards Pallet and had shown his Arcanine how to do hyper speed. Still...

Ayako felt something on her leg and looked up. "Fuego, look, a Pidgy's landed on my knee!" she said.

Fuego looked at the odd sight.

"Excuse me," the Pidgy said, "but are you Fuego of the Golden R?"

Fuego looked at Ayako a bit confused. "Well, I don't know of many other Fuegos in the Golden R..." he said to the bird.

"Ah, good! Could you come with me please? There's someone who wants to meet you..." the bird said, then flew up into the tree above them.

Fuego and Ayako gave each other perplexed looks. Ayako shrugged and said "Fire Wings..."

Fuego glided down the hill, turned and flapped back up he hill to get a better look at the tree, and just where the Pidgy had departed to. He saw a nest high up.

Fuego was no bird. Landing in a tree was an adventure, to say the least. He wrapped his paws around the branch the best he could.

"Feathers and Beaks! What a fine flyer you've turned out to be!" he heard. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Pidgy looking back at him.

"I'm glad you could come up here, Mr. Fuego... He's been asking for you ever since he hatched a day ago!" she said.

"Hatched?" Fuego asked, shakily moving towards the nest out on the end of the branch.

"Stop shakin' the tree son, you'll have us all in the fryin' pan!"

"Aero, is that you?" Fuego asked, finally managing to peek over the edge of the nest. Two chicks looked back up at him. "Aero?"

"Yea..." the chick on the left said, "I'm here... I get to go through bein' a CHICK again! Whoopee!" He looked over at the other chick. "Oh, this is my brother Moose..."

"Uhh... Yerp!" Moose said.

"Now Aerostosities, his name is Montgomery!" Mother Pidgy said.

Chick Aero looked at Fuego. "Moose..."

"Uhh... Yerp!" Moose said.

Fuego laughed. "Aero, how?"

The chick sat down. "Remember what I said? As long as a piece survives, as long as there's still a small sliver of what made you, you... they can bring you back. As for me, they brought me back to where I last started out."

"Excuse me, Mr. Fuego, but do you know what he's talking about?" the Mother Pidgy asked.

"Oh, yes ma'am, I do. Did you hear the ceremony earlier?"

She shrugged. "How could I miss it? What was that all about anyway? Was it about all that fighting here last week?"

"Yes ma'am... we were honoring our lost friends... and it would look as if your son is the reincarnation of one of them!"

The Mother Pidgy gave Fuego a wary look. "Now YOU sound like you're pulling my leg... I thought he was just being silly, and pretending to be this Aero."

Fuego shook his head. "Ma'am, did you hear anyone say 'Feathers and Beaks' during the ceremony?"

"No..."

"Well, 'Feathers and Beaks' was his favorite utterance." Fuego explained. "It would have been awfully hard for him to simply guess that expression."

"Ah... What?" Mother Pidgy said.

"Mother, please! I don't have much time!" the chick said.

Fuego looked down at it. "Gonna loose your memory, ea?"

"Yea..."

"Loose his memory? What?" the Mother panicked.

"Not to worry, ma'am... he'll just become just like - err - Montgomery here..."

The look Aero gave Fuego was priceless.

"So, have they found anything of our lost spirits?" Fuego asked.

"No... but they're still looking. If they find any of PK, he's in for it though!" Aero said.

Fuego looked questioning at Chick Aero. "Why's that?"

"You heard them... they jacked him up... from a 3rd level Archangel to a 1st class one... you don't come back as a Pikachu that way!"

Fuego put his head down and began to laugh. Next thing he knew, he was howling while hanging upside-down from the branch like a bat. The nest was bouncing up and down like a trampoline.

"Feathers and Beaks! Settle down son!" yelped the chick.

"Yerp!" Moose said.

-----------------------------

WACK!

OW! That smarted!

"WAAAAA!" a small cry shouted.

Uhh... did I just say that?

"Congratulations, it's a boy!" some unknown stranger said, rotating my world.

What is going on? The last thing I remember was diving into Black Lugia... eye... have to open my eye... hey, I've got TWO again! UH! There... man... everything's blurry... maybe if I blink. OOF! ACK! Knock it off with the wash cloth already! YEAAA! Is that a syringe!? Get that thing out of my ear! No, no! Not the nose! ACK ACK! Now my mouth!? ACK!

Whoa! Whoa! What's with the blanket? Uhh! Well, at least I can see better...

"Here you go, Mrs. Ketchum!"

Mrs. Ketchum? What? MISTY!! MISTY!! IS THAT YOU!? You're all sweaty! What happened? Have you been working out again?

"Oooh, let me have him!" she said.

Aw, I always liked you too Misty, but now isn't the time! What happened? Where am I?

"Well, Mr. Ketchum! Come see your new son!" Misty said.

SON!? WHAT!? ASH!? WHAT!? Haven't you shaved yet? And just how long are you going to wear that hat?

"There's my Peter! There's my little man!"

Oh, I may be sick! At least I'm still PK...

"There's my widdle Pokémon Trainer! Aren't you gonna be the best widdle trainer!"

Thundershock! Thundershock! THUNDERSHOCK!! PLEASE! PLEASE! THUNDERSHOCK!!

"OW!" Ash said.

"What?" Misty asked, a touched surprised.

Ash laughed. "He shocked me..."

Hehehehe!

_Fin_

**oOo**

Characters from Pokémon ©2000, 2007 The Pokémon Company/Nintendo/Creatures/GameFreak  
Ah! My Goddess References ©2000, 2007 Kosuke Fujishima/Kodansha  
Kinza, UNS Exeter, UNS Forestall, Mr. Button, Caroline Edwards, Tolefson, Roy Strom, The Observers ©2000, 2007 Denivan Media Services - Used with permission  
'TS' from "Terminal Solutions" ©2000, 2007 Steve Brunton - Used with Permission  
Ayako, Fuego ©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/Ayako/DMS - Used with Permission  
Characters from "The Myamoto Project" ©2000, 2007 S. E. Nordwall - Used with permission  
Characters from "United in Eternity" ©2000, 2007 Jazzy - Used with permission

©2000, 2007 R. A. Stott/The Lugia Project/DMS

Edit 0706.21


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